4/28/08 DISC: VA

[jladue]

I'm assuming that the "at least EF-3" means they are calling in the QRT. I agree with the above posters: that damage looks pretty prolific. I do remember, however, seeing instances of that degree of damage with a resultant rating of high end EF-3,

There will be no official national QRT this year due to budget cuts in the NWS. I'm guessing ideally this is one program that had to go in order to save other more important ones.

WRT to water temp, the surface was only 70/64 and the trajectories were from the Gulf so the Atl had nothing obvious to do with this.

If these houses were built like those in LaPlata, MD, then the foundation connections may have been subpar. The survey teams likely went lower than expected wind speed with a DOD=9 for a framed house. Since I wasn't there, I can only trust their in ground assessment.

Whenever I did surveys, I sure wish I had a wind engineer around as a consultant. That's what the intent of the QRT was supposed to be. As it stands, wind engineers must find their own resources for travel.

 

[John Robinson]

For those that haven't seen the new rules, use of a QRT in determining EF4 or EF5 tornadoes is now optional. This is contained in NWS Directive 10-1604, which is dated April 23, 2008. To be more specific, the directive says "the WFO may request a QRT". So, if the particular WFO has a lot of experience in assessing tornado damage and is confident they can make the proper call, they can now do so for EF4 and EF5 events without calling anyone else in.

 

[Brandon Smith]

I was checking out liveleak.com tonight and found this video of the Suffolk tornado. It was taken from the dashcam of an ambulance parked at the local hospital (I'm presuming the one that was hit). The video gives you the view from outside and inside the ambulance.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=e13_1209708285

What I find interesting is that winds seem to peak when the tornado is about halfway out of the view of the camera. At this point, the flying debris breaks out the driver's side window the ambulance. Is this wind partially from the rear flank downdraft?

 

[Kiel Ortega]

I managed to get my hands on some of the photos from a number of surveys (ground and aerial) Suffolk. EF-3 looks really appropriate given that many of the houses that were slabbed had very little anchoring from wall to foundation. Most houses actually appear to be a type of slider with the entire house just moved slightly along the tornado path...large debris didn't go far and when it did go, it went in a very predictable direction. Amazing for an area so close to the Coast and a significant non-zero hurricane probability. Strong tornado regardless, as I found a photo of a car thrown into the SW corner of the medical building (?) along the path.