Tornado warnings, but no tornadoes

By The Daily Progress Staff

Published: May 9, 2008

Heavy winds, hail and up to three inches of rain howled through Central Virginia late Thursday and into Friday, dropping as much as 2.6 inches in Crozet and leaving as many as 1,550 customers without power as of Friday morning.

Storms ripped through Virginia, damaging homes in Stafford County, knocking down trees throughout Central Virginia and leaving roadways flooded.

Most counties bordering Albemarle County, and Albemarle itself, were under a flash flood warning Friday morning as well as a flash flood watch. The rain and flooding disrupted school bus routes and commuters and left about 500 customers powerless in Albemarle.

Earlier in the evening, approximately 1,700 people found themselves trapped at the Charlottesville Pavilion. Country musician Gary Allan brought them to the Pavilion, but the precipitation kept them there, at least until Charlottesville officials decided it was best to evacuate.

Between 50 to 60 homes in the England Run North subdivision area of Stafford County were damaged when a storm rolled through about 10:30 p.m. Thursday. Pieces of roofs and walls were strewn about the streets. No homes were leveled, but walls were knocked down.

Weather investigators were in the area Friday to inspect damage and debris fields to determine whether the storm could be classified as a tornado. There also were unconfirmed reports of a tornado in the Triangle area in Prince William County.

Although much of Central Virginia spent an hour or more under tornado warnings Friday night, no funnel clouds were reported and none reportedly touched down. Heavy rain, however, put portions of Northern and Central Virginia and southern Maryland under a flood warning Friday morning.

The Weather Service said excessive runoff from heavy rainfall elevated levels in small creeks and streams and caused ponding of water on roads.
Several roads were closed or flooded, including portions of Route 600 and Route 640 in Albemarle County. All had been reopened by Friday afternoon.