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Update: National Weather Service confirms tornadoes in Isle of Wight, Hampton

Posted at 4:51 PM, Jan 12, 2014
and last updated 2014-01-12 18:13:37-05

The National Weather Service has confirmed two tornadoes touched down Saturday afternoon in Isle of Wight County and one in Hampton.

One of the tornadoes that touched down in Isle of Wight was about 3.5 miles northwest of Smithfield.

According to a report from the National Weather Service, it hit just north of Route 10, then continued northeastward into the Mogarts Beach Area.  The tornado caused trees to fall on homes and cars.  It was on the ground for about 1.4 miles before dissipating over the James River.  It was rated an EF-0 with wind speeds about 75 – 80 miles per hour.

The other tornado in Isle of Wight was about three miles southeast of the courthouse.  It touched down on Bob White Road just North of Woodland Drive, then continued northeastward before lifting near Quaker Road. Numerous trees were knocked down and some fell onto homes.  It traveled for about two miles with wind speeds up to 70 – 75 miles per hour and was rated an EF-0.

In Hampton, an EF-0 tornado touched down in the Fox Hill area.

According to a report from the National Weather Service, the tornado touched down from around 3:50 p.m. to 3:53 p.m. near Routten Road and Cabell Lane.  About 50 trees were snapped and homes had 10 – 20 percent of their roof shingles blown off.

VIDEO: Watch as building under construction collapses in Saturday’s storm
VIDEO: Debris flies as Saturday storm rolls through
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According to the report, the tornado traveled east-northeast.  It damaged the roof of the Fox Hill Central Methodist Church and completely ripped the roof off the city of Hampton School Maintenance Compound on Wind Mill Point Road.

The tornado moved to Canal Road, snapping trees, damaging rooftops of homes and blowing out the windows of a car.

The tornado also destroyed the Fox Hill Athletic Association building at the Nike Site on Grundland Drive.  It ended at the marshes of the Grandview Nature Preserve.

Based on the damage, the National Weather Service has rated the tornado an EF-0 with estimated wind speeds of 80 miles per hour.  It traveled for 1.25 miles with an estimated width of 75 yards and spent less than 5 minutes on the ground.

There were no injuries reported.