A tornado with a maximum wind speed around 105 mph struck about four miles northwest of Moneta in Bedford County on April 15, the National Weather Service said in a preliminary report issued Thursday.
The tornado had a path two-thirds of a mile long. Its maximum width was 100 yards. It began at about 6:10 p.m. and lasted only about a minute. No fatalities or injuries were associated with it.
The tornado began around the 1800 block of Mead Valley Road and ended around the 10000 block of Dickerson Mill Road.
“The tornado caused significant damage to the roof of a home on Mead Valley Road — also slightly moving the house from its cinder block foundation. Extensive damage to an adjacent barn, outbuilding, and trees were also noted at this location. Damage indicators were consistent with winds of approximately 105 mph,” according to the National Weather Service report.
“The tornado then continued north-northeast at approximately 45 mph for the next minute before lifting at around 6:11 PM EDT along the 10000 Block of Dickerson Mill Road.
“Although no additional homes were impacted along the 0.66 mile path of the tornado, approximately 50 trees, many mature, were either snapped or uprooted. Damage indicators along the path were consistent with winds of between 95 and 105 mph.
“The damage survey team also surveyed an area further south, on Emmaus Church Road, where a barn was destroyed and several trees were either snapped or uprooted. The team concluded that damage was not tornadic in nature, but rather, from strong straight-line winds, likely in the 80-95 mph range.”
The tornado was rated EF1 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, which ranges from 0 to 5 and estimates a tornado’s maximum wind speed based on observed damage.
The Bedford County Department of Fire and Rescue assisted in the survey of damage.
The Bedford County tornado was one of four to strike the Lynchburg region around the same time the evening of April 15.
The strongest touched down in Campbell County near Timberlake and Waterlick roads, tore through Lynchburg and crossed the James River into Amherst County, where its wind speed peaked around 150 mph in the Elon community before dissipating. No one was killed, but about 12 people were reported injured in connection with the tornado, and numerous homes and businesses were damaged.
Another tornado touched down on the north side of Piney Mountain near Indian Creek Road in Amherst County but only was on the ground for a few minutes, covering about a mile and a half. Its wind speeds topped out around 85 mph, according to the weather service.
A third tornado touched down outside Rustburg and covered a 1.7-mile stretch from near Carwile Road to just south of the intersection of New Chapel and Bethany roads. It lasted about three minutes, and its wind speeds reached an estimated 90 mph.
Elsewhere in Virginia, tornadoes also were confirmed in Danville and Craig County that day.
by Matt Busse (2018, Apr 27) The News & Advance
