ROANOKE, Va. – UPDATE
The Tornado Watch that was in effect Monday for most of Southwest Virginia has been canceled.
Sporadic showers and downpours will be around through roughly 11 p.m., but the severe weather threat will be over.
Read more on your Weather Authority Alert Day and find updates here.
UPDATE
The Tornado Watch has been canceled early for parts of the New River Valley and Roanoke Valleys. It continues for the Highlands, Lynchburg Area and Southside until 9 p.m.
ORIGINAL STORY
A Tornado Watch stays in effect this afternoon until 9:00 p.m. on Monday, August 7. A Level 4 (Moderate) risk for storms, which we haven’t seen since April 19, 2019, lasts through today with our best chance of storms before 8:00 p.m.
We are in a Weather Authority Alert Day because of these storms which look particularly strong. We are at risk for wind, hail, and tornadoes that we have not been in this season.
The last time we had a Level 4 risk three tornadoes touched down in our area. It was rated an EF-3 moving through Franklin County with wind speeds over 160 mph. A second tornado in Bedford County was weaker but still did damage that warranted an EF-1 rating. The third in Nelson County was also an EF-1.
High wind gusts are likely throughout the region, but the main tornado risk stays mostly north of US-460. Most tornadoes in our region trend towards Lynchburg and Southside making this a higher risk than we tend to see that far north.
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