CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – Winds during Friday’s severe thunderstorm that hit the Albemarle County and Charlottesville area reached top speeds of 90 mph, according to a National Weather Service Sterling post storm preliminary survey released Sunday.
“A powerful thunderstorm began to develop over southeastern Rockingham County out of a cluster of otherwise innocuous showers,” according to the report. “The storm would rapidly intensify into a powerful supercell thunderstorm before reaching the Blue Ridge. As the storm crossed into northwestern Albemarle county, particularly around Free Union, the storm would go through a period of weakening as it approached Charlottesville. Just prior to arrival, the supercell thunderstorm went through another cycle of strengthening, making the storm much more intense than it had been earlier. The storm reached it`s peak intensity as it moved across the north side of Charlottesville.”
That’s where the damaging winds and large hail fell in the downdraft in the front of the storm between 5:33 and 5:42 p.m…