CULPEPER, VA. – The National Weather Service verified that a tornado struck Rixeyville, Virginia, on Sunday night, injuring five persons who were most likely sheltering in a shed. The confirmation comes following a ground survey done by the NWS in the affected area.
The tornado developed from a rotating severe thunderstorm spotted by Doppler radar in Sterling, Virginia. The National Weather Service issued a Tornado Warning for the area at 9:14 p.m., just moments before the tornado struck. Radar images also showed the tornado lofting debris as it traveled through the area.
The tornado first made contact with the ground on Dunkard Church Road, about a third of a mile west of Eggbornsville Road in northwest Culpeper County. The storm did extensive damage to the area, cracking and uprooting several trees in various directions. The tornado proceeded northeast and crossed Eggbornsville Road, causing significant tree damage, including two dozen shattered or uprooted trees.
Despite passing over multiple houses and a church, there was no structural damage reported.
The severe gusts, however, overturned a huge shed containing five people.
A smaller shed was also tipped over. Residents reported witnessing the funnel land and received timely Tornado Warnings via Wireless Emergency Alerts on their cellphones. Around 8:00 p.m. Monday, a Tornado Warning was issued for Anne Arundel and Prince George’s counties.
Drone footage showed a damaged roadway about 100 yards wide.
The tornado moved along Settle School Road, between Tolivers Forest Lane and Spring Hollow Lane, cracking and uprooting at least a dozen huge trees. The storm caused more damage when it crossed Dutch Hollow Road. The pattern of tree damage revealed that winds were blowing in many directions, including against the storm’s course.
The tornado proceeded for another two miles before delivering its last devastation in the 9000 block of Monumental Mills Road.
According to the study, a massive beech tree branch with a diameter of two feet was snapped off, as well as other smaller tree damage. The most recent recorded damage happened approximately west of Rixeyville Road.