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F2 tornado in Loudoun County, Virginia

Tornado September 17, 2004 · Loudoun County, Virginia

F2
Rating
8.0 mi
Path length
150 yd
Path width
$3.0M
Damage as recorded
EF0EF1EF2EF3EF4EF5Unrated

The path drawn at its surveyed width of 150 yards (0.09 mi) — zoom in and the swath grows to true scale. Other tornadoes recorded nearby that day are shown faint.

What F2 means. This tornado was rated on Fujita’s original scale, used until 2007. F2 meant considerable damage: roofs torn off well-built houses, mobile homes destroyed, large trees snapped or uprooted; the scale paired it with winds of 113–157 mph, figures later judged too high, especially toward the top of the scale, and revised downward in the Enhanced Fujita scale. Ratings then, as now, came from the damage.

What the National Weather Service wrote

A thunderstorm moved into eastern Loudoun County from Fairfax County near the Dulles International Airport. The storm produced a tornado which touched down at Dulles International Airport and passed within one half mile of the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Sterling. This prompted the staff on duty to seek shelter in the office constructed saferoom. As the storm traveled north from the Dulles International Airport, it produced minor tree damage. More extensive damage occurred north of Waxpool Road at the Beaumede Corporate Park. Seven buildings were damaged. A wall collapsed in one of the buildings. A tractor trailer was overturned. The tornado also pushed two cars into the side of a building. The tornado weakened as it traveled north. The last damage in Loudoun County was reported just north of Route 7.

Began near Dulles Intl Arpt (38.9500, -77.4500).

Other tornadoes from the same storm system

21 more tornadoes the National Weather Service filed under this storm episode.

F3 Fauquier CountyF2 Prince William CountyF2 Fairfax CountyF2 Greene CountyF2 Madison CountyF2 Orange CountyF2 Frederick CountyF2 Fauquier CountyF2 Fauquier CountyF1 Loudoun CountyF1 Stafford CountyF1 Culpeper CountyF1 Culpeper CountyF1 Orange CountyF1 King George CountyF1 Frederick CountyF0 Albemarle CountyF0 Warren CountyF0 Spotsylvania CountyF0 Fredericksburg (c) CountyF0 Spotsylvania County

Source: NOAA Storm Events Database, event 5425472. Narratives are written by the National Weather Service forecast office that issued the report.

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