I'm used to high winds and thunderstorms, northeasters, hurricanes, and have, on occasion, seen a tornado from a distance. A huge thunderstorm raced across the Chesapeake Bay this morning and hit Capes Charles, Virginia (on the Eastern Shore) at about 8:30 this morning. The National Weather Service had posted a tornado warning for the area that ended at 9 a.m. This storm had softball-sized hail, and, according to the Weather Channel reached more than 50,000 feet in height. It hit the shore at Cherrystone Family Campground and RV Resort, near Cape Charles, in Northampton County with tremendous force. Reports say that either two or three people were killed and more than 26 have been hospitalized in multiple hospitals in and near Norfolk, Newport News, and Richmond, Virginia.
Camping trailers were overturned, and a lot of large pine trees had there boles snapped off at about 10 or 12 feet above the ground. Over 1300 people were staying at the campground last night. Tents and other light-weight belongings were literally blown away. Between 150 and 175 people lost their shelter, and are being bussed to a local school. Searchers are criss-crossing the site, and a National Weather Service Storm team is headed there to survey the damage and decide if it was caused by a tornado or straight-force winds.
Cherrystone Family Campground and RV Resort after a possible tornado this morning
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