The Weather Forecast Office (WFO) in Wakefield VA serves 51 counties and 15 independent cities in central and eastern Virginia, northeast North Carolina, and the lower Maryland Eastern Shore. While the capabilities of the WSR-88D (NEXRAD) have enabled them tobetter detect severe weather phenomena, and provide increased warning lead time, they still need ground truth to supplement our warnings. This is where you come in! They need storm spotters to provide them with vital ground truth data, especially in rural areas of our county warning area.

Tropical Weather Section

~National Hurricane Center Advisories~

Hurricane Preparedness
History teaches that a lack of hurricane awareness and preparation are common threads among all major hurricane disasters. By knowing your vulnerability and what actions you should take, you can reduce the effects of a hurricane disaster....Hurricane Preparedness

Weather Terms to Know

• Hurricane Advisory: An early warning system will prepare you for a hurricane strike well in advance of hurricane watches & warnings.

• Hurricane Watch: An announcement of specific coastal areas that a hurricane or an incipient hurricane condition poses a possible threat, generally within 36 hours. Plan your time now.

• Hurricane Warning: If the danger materializes, a hurricane warning will be issued. This means that the storm has a great likelihood of directly affecting your area in 24 hours of less. Heed calls to evacuate if necessary. A hurricane warning can remain in effect when dangerously high water or a combination of dangerously high water and exceptionally high waves continue, even though winds may be less than hurricane force.

• Storm Surge: A large dome of water up to 100 miles wide that sweeps across the coastline near where a hurricane makes landfall.

• Storm Tide: The actual level of sea water resulting from the astronomic tide combined with the storm surge.

• Tropical Depression: A tropical cyclonic (counterclockwise) circulation with sustained surface wind speed up to 38 mph.

• Tropical Disturbance: A disturbed area of thunderstorms, tropical in origin, which is evident for 24 hours or more.

• Tropical Storm: A tropical cyclonic circulation with sustained winds of 39 mph to 73 mph.

• Tropical Storm Watch: An announcement that a tropical storm poses or tropical storm conditions pose a threat to coastal areas generally within 36 hours. A tropical storm watch should normally not be issued if the system is forecast to attain hurricane strength.