The science behind last year's Appomattox tornado

APPOMATTOX (WSLS 10) - Things are just as warm in Appomattox on Friday, but the atmosphere is nowhere near as volatile as what is was one year ago.

There are still signs that a tornado went through, but there have been improvements.

Now let's take you back to one year ago, breaking down the meteorology of what happened.

February 24, a day more synonymous with snow than severe weather. On that fateful and violent afternoon, the set-up was just right, not for snow, but for tornadoes.

At noon, just hours before the tornado developed, Storm Team 10 Meteorologist Kristina Montuori was tracking the rising temperatures across Southside and Central Virginia. Along the warm front, or the leading edge of the warmer air, was a focal point for tornadic development at the surface. With winds twisting from the ground to thousands of feet above, the threat for tornadoes was growing rapidly.

Like making a cake, wind shear, instability, along with several other ingredients came together to produce a tornado. Just after 3:00 p.m. they did.

Just a short time after, much of Evergreen, Virginia was destroyed by nature's most violent storm.


About the Author:

Jonathan Kegges joined the News 6 team in June 2019 and now covers weather on TV and all digital platforms.