NWS Report on Fairfax County Tornado

     PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
     NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WASHINGTON DC
     1045 PM EDT MON JUN 24 1996
     NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DAMAGE SURVEY REPORT...
     ...TORNADO MOVES THROUGH FAIRFAX COUNTY VIRGINIA...
     AT ABOUT 450 PM LATE THIS AFTERNOON A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN ON THE WEST 
SIDE OF FAIRFAX COUNTY NEAR THE LOUDOUN COUNTY/PRINCE WILLIAM COUNTY LINE. 
F1 DAMAGE (100 MPH WINDS) WAS SEEN CROSSING BULL RUN POST OFFICE ROAD AND 
PLEASANT VALLEY ROAD. HUNDREDS OF TREES WERE UPROOTED AND SNAPPED IN A CLEAR 
PATH THROUGH A MAINLY WOODED AREA.
     THE TORNADO MOVED DUE EAST THROUGH THE VIRGINIA RUN ESTATES ACROSS CUB 
RUN STREAM VALLEY PARK INTO THE COUNTRY CLUB MANOR RESIDENTIAL AREA. MOST OF 
THE DAMAGE TO HOMES IN THIS AREA WAS MINOR (ROOF SHINGLES, ANTENNAS, TRIM, 
ETC.). ONE HOUSE HAD MODERATE DAMAGE WITH SIDING TORN OFF AND NUMEROUS TREES 
WERE UPROOTED AND SNAPPED. THE TORNADO CONTINUED EAST INTO THE SULLY STATION 
AREA.
     AFTER CROSSING BRADDOCK AND POPULAR TREE ROADS...MAJOR DAMAGE WAS 
OBSERVED. SEVERAL HOUSES LOST LARGE SECTIONS OF ROOFS AND SIDING. GARAGE 
DOORS WERE BLOWN IN CAUSING SOME OF THE SIDE WALLS TO BLOW OUT. LIGHT 
MISSILES WERE GENERATED. ONE 2X4 WENT THROUGH A ROOF...THE UPSTAIRS CEILING 
AND FELL INTO THE DOWNSTAIRS HALLWAY JUST MISSING A MOTHER AND CHILD. FIVE 
HOMES WERE CONDEMNED DUE TO SEVERE DAMAGE. THE WORST DAMAGE WAS TO A 
TWO-STORY HOUSE (BUILT ABOUT 1980) THAT LOST ITS ENTIRE ROOF AND THE ENTIRE 
BACKSIDE ON THE UPPER LEVEL. ANOTHER HOUSE LOST MOST OF ITS ROOF AND THE 
SIDES ON BOTH ENDS OF THE UPPER LEVEL. WITHOUT A DOUBT THIS SECTION TOOK THE 
HEAVIEST DAMAGE.
     THE TORNADO CONTINUED EAST CROSSING ROUTE 28 INTO ELLANOR LAWRENCE PARK 
WHERE DAMAGED HUNDREDS OF TREES AND PASSED ACROSS CABELLS MILL INTO BIG 
ROCKY RUN.
     THAT WAS THE EASTERN MOST EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE SURVEY. DARKNESS LIMITED 
THE TIME TO SURVEY MORE.  THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK 
AT DEFINING THE EASTERN AND WESTERN EXTENT OF THE
DAMAGE PATH. NWS METEOROLOGIST HAS INDICATED THAT THE PATH APPEARS TO 
CONTINUE ACROSS I-66 WITH DAMAGE TO TREES ON THE FAIRFAX COUNTY PARKWAY AS 
IT MOVED TOWARD FAIRFAX CITY. IT WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN WEAKENING EAST OF 
ROUTE 28.
     SUMMARY OF TORNADO STATISTICS FROM TODAYS SURVEY...
     TIME = 450 PM A TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN FAIRFAX COUNTY.
     STRENGTH = F2 (150 MPH) AS IT PASSED THROUGH SULLY STATION
     LENGTH = APPROXIMATELY 13 MILES (SO FAR)
     WIDTH = 100 YARDS
     MORE INFORMATION WILL BE SENT OUT AFTER FURTHER SURVEYS ARE CONDUCTED 
ON
     TUESDAY.
     BARBARA MCNAUGHT WATSON
     WARNING COORDINATION METEOROLOGIST
     STERLING, VIRGINIA