By Ricky Matthews
VIPIR Weather Intern
As the line of severe thunderstorms moved through Hampton Roads Thursday afternoon, they were accompanied by strong winds. VIPIR Radar showed the squall line as it moved through the region around 6pm. These strong winds were associated with a squall line. A squall line is a line of thunderstorms that sustain themselves by producing lift inside thunderstorms with their outflow. They often develop along or ahead of cold fronts as they move through warm, moist,unstable air that is favorable for the development of thunderstorms. As long as conditions are favorable for strong storms in the path of the storm, the line will self sustain itself. The outflow from those storms can cause gusty winds along and ahead of the line of thunderstorms.
Here’s some of the maximum observe wind gusts at reporting stations across the area Thursday afternoon:
- Langley AFB- 67 mph
- Ft. Eustis- 66 mph
- Newport News Airport-64 mph
- NAS Oceana- 51 mph
- Kiptopeke- 62 mph
- Yorktown- 73 mph
- Elizabeth City- 62 mph
- Duck- 67 mph
- Corolla- 51 mph
- Elizabeth City- 57 mph
- Cape Henry – 58 mph
- CBBT- 59 mph
- Suffolk- 47 mph
- Melfa- 49 mph
- NN Shipyard- 57 mph
- Wiloughby- 57 mph
- Shiloh- 62 mph
- Back Bay- 47 mph
