Tornadoes
Tornadoes are violent and rapidly rotating columns of air that form inside thunderstorms. They connect with the ground, via a funnel, to the cloud. Tornadoes typically last only a few minutes, but sometimes they can last for more than an hour. They can also travel short distances (0.5 miles), but some can be “on the ground” for upwards of 100 miles.
From 1950-2015, 680 tornadoes have been recorded in Virginia. While there has never been an EF-5 (winds over 200 mph) tornado recorded in the state, there have been 2 EF-4 (166 - 200 mph) and 30 EF-3 (136 - 165 mph) rated tornadoes.
Source: TornadoHistoryProject.com
Did You Know?
The largest tornado outbreak to occur in Virginia was on September 17, 2004, a result the storms associated Hurricane Ivan. During the day, a record 38 tornados touched down across Virginia. Fortunately, no one was killed, but many homes and business were reported severely damaged or destroyed.