The residents of coastal Virginia … Tornadoes can strike at any location in Virginia, and can vary dramatically in wind speed. After the Petersburg tornado, some people talked about how unusual it was for a tornado to strike that area of Virginia. No historical earthquake events that had recorded magnitudes of 3.5 or above found in or near Virginia Beach, VA. No historical earthquake events found in or near Virginia Beach, VA. The Tri-Cities tornado claimed four lives and injured nearly 250 people. The worst tornado in central Virginia's history tore through Petersburg, Colonial Heights and Hopewell on Aug. 6, 1993. While most floods are associated with tropical storms and hurricanes, this was the largest non-tropical induced flooding to occur in Virginia history. The recorded history of significant tr opical storms that affected the area goes back much further. The F2 tornado that struck Rye Cove, Virginia, is the deadliest tornado in Virginia history and tied for the thirteenth-deadliest to hit a school in the United States, with all 13 deaths in a school building. 4 other rivers flooded, including the James, Rappahannock, Shenandoah and York Rivers. April 27, 2011 in Reston - Tornado History Project: 20110427.51.26 October 18, 1990 in Herndon - Tornado History Project: 19901018.51.15 June 24, 1996 in Centreville and Fairfax - Tornado History Project: 19960624.51.9 Petersburg was struck by an F-2 tornado on June 21, 1970 and an F-3 tornado on May 8, 1984. Historical Tornado Events. Many significant tornadoes may not make it into the historical record since Tornado Alley was very sparsely populated during the 20th century. Deadliest Tornadoes Most tornadoes do not result in death. While it was an unusual event, it was not a first. Prior to 1871, very early storms have been located in ship logs, newspaper accounts, history books, and countless other writings. The outbreak produced several strong tornadoes in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Maryland—areas that were falsely believed to be immune to tornadoes. RICHMOND, Va. — Ninety years after Virginia's worst tornado outbreak — a day that claimed 22 lives and shattered several rural communities … Much early work on tornado climatology in the United States was done by John Park Finley in his book Tornadoes, published in 1887. More information about tornadoes in Virginia: Tornado History | Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM) Nice overview of the 2011 tornadoes: Twisted April: The tornadoes of 2011 - WTOP 06-20-2015, 08:50 AM dkf747 : Location: Metro Washington DC. The 1944 Appalachians tornado outbreak was a deadly tornado outbreak that hit the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States on June 22–23, 1944. In Virginia, the Potomac rose 9 feet above flood stage, dumping water on Alexandria and Arlington. Historical Records and Trends Historical records and trends for tornadoes, including graphs and maps showing timing and occurrences over approximately 60 years. A total of 19 historical tornado events that had recorded magnitude of 2 or above found in or near Virginia Beach, VA. Tornado Alley In the United States, there are two regions with a disproportionately high frequency of tornadoes. The worst tornado in central Virginia's history tore through Petersburg, Colonial Heights and Hopewell on Aug. 6, 1993. The Tri-Cities tornado claimed four lives and injured nearly 250 people. A tornado with winds reaching 225 miles per hour blasted downtown Petersburg in 1993.