ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY, Va. – Friday’s strong storms brought a tornado to Rockbridge County, according to officials.
The National Weather Service (NWS) in Blacksburg confirmed through a storm damage survey that Fairfield, located in the northern part of Rockbridge County, saw an EF-0 tornado on Friday.
The “straight-line wind damage” began about 1.25 miles south of Fairfield along the Borden Grant Trail and continued north towards Fairfield.
Wind speeds were estimated to have started at about 85 mph and ended anywhere between 65 and 70 mph near the end of the damage path, according to officials.
NWS said several large trees were either blown down or uprooted along the path from south to northeast of Fairfield.
It also brought damage to a local church and sidings of farm outbuildings in the area.
An EF-0 tornado is the weakest tornado on the EF Scale, according to NWS.