Disasters · Tornado watchTornado Watch 681 Shrinks to Five Virginia Land Areas, With River Threats RemainingAired October 12, 2026 at 1:48 AM UTCWritten October 12, 2026 at 1:52 AM UTCRead the write-upThis storyTranscript · LOADING0:09Forecasters narrowed Virginia's tornado watch from 26 land jurisdictions to five.0:14Tornadoes remain possible for people in the remaining land areas and along several0:18rivers.0:19The watch is scheduled to end at 8 tonight, but that deadline doesn't promise an end0:23to every weather hazard.0:25Which land areas and waterways still face the threat as the watch approaches its0:28scheduled end?0:29Brunswick, Dinwiddie, Greensville, and Mecklenburg counties remain covered, along0:34with the independent city of Emporia.0:36Forecasters kept those five jurisdictions under Tornado Watch 681 in the late0:41afternoon continuation.0:42The much larger original footprint had already narrowed.0:45Emporia counts as an independent city.0:47The continuation called its list five counties, but it named four counties and0:51Emporia.0:51Virginia's independent cities are separate jurisdictions, so that shorthand can make0:56the county count sound larger than it is.0:57Chase City, Clarksville, Lawrenceville, and South Hill are among the communities1:02named within that continuing land area.1:04Those community names help residents locate themselves within the watch.1:08They don't add more counties to its coverage.1:10The original Virginia notice covered 26 jurisdictions.1:13The later continuation kept five land areas covered, with the scheduled end still1:18eight tonight.1:18That reduction changes who needs to prepare, even while the remaining communities1:22continue facing a possible tornado threat.1:24The Storm Prediction Center began watch 681 at 1.55 in the afternoon on October1:2911th.1:30Wakefield issued its local land and marine notices one minute later, both set the1:34same evening expiration.1:36The initial notice also called Virginia's coverage 26 counties.1:40Its complete list contained 12 counties and 14 independent cities, making 261:45jurisdictions altogether.1:46That earlier footprint stretched across south central and southeastern Virginia,1:50including Hampton Road cities that aren't in the later five area land continuation.1:54Wakefield's initial North Carolina notice covered nine counties.1:58The full interstate watch covered 20 North Carolina counties, including those nine.2:02Different weather offices handled different portions of the same watch, so the2:05larger total describes a wider geographic area.2:08The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel was inside the original marine footprint.2:12That coverage ran from New Point Comfort to Little Creek, then from Little Creek to2:16Cape Henry.2:17These were specific stretches of the bay where people needed to prepare for possible2:21tornadoes.2:22Currituck Sound and the York River were also included.2:25The James River coverage ran from Jamestown to the James River Bridge, then onward2:29to the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel.2:31That second stretch included the Elizabeth River.2:33The original coastal coverage extended 20 nautical miles offshore.2:37It ran from Cape Charles Light to the Virginia-North Carolina border, and from there2:41to Currituck Beach Light.2:43The broader watch also included the Alligator River, Pamlico Sound, and Albemarle2:47Croatan and Roanoke Sounds.2:49For people using those waters, the alert geography follows named water zones as well2:53as land boundaries.2:54The offshore distance defines the covered area.2:56Boaters still need to follow the changing alerts for their particular waterway.3:00Onslow County remained in the earlier evening threat guidance, alongside the five3:04Virginia jurisdictions and a longer marine list.3:07The next guidance omitted North Carolina land counties and reduced the marine list.3:11Both guidance periods ran through 6:40 in the evening.3:13The remaining river threat guidance named the Pamlico and Pungo rivers, the Noose3:18and Bay Rivers, and the York River.3:20A separate marine continuation retained residual North Carolina waters.3:24The evening concern had become much more geographically limited.3:27Local watch notifications control official clearances.3:31The broader threat guidance helps describe where the danger continues, but dropping3:35a county from that guidance alone doesn't serve as its official cancellation notice.3:39Residents need the current local alert for their location.3:41The watch classifies tornadoes as possible and tells people to monitor conditions.3:46Its severity field says extreme.3:48That describes the alert's hazard category.3:51It doesn't measure the strength of an observed tornado or mean a tornado has touched3:55down.3:55A warning calls for protective action because the event is imminent or occurring3:59nearby.4:00Under a watch, conditions favor the hazard and people should prepare for warnings.4:04That preparation gives households time to get ready before they need to act quickly.4:08People in covered areas should review and discuss emergency plans, check supplies4:12and safe room arrangements, and follow changing weather alerts.4:16Be ready to act quickly if a warning arrives or a tornado appears to be approaching.4:20Officials hadn't confirmed a tornado within this watch's area and active period by4:24early evening.4:25Warnings and preliminary observations can come before later confirmation.4:29Later observations or surveys could still identify a tornado or damage within this4:33footprint.4:34As of 6:12 p.m.4:36Eastern, the watch hadn't been extended or completely canceled.4:39The four Virginia counties and Emporia remained in the land continuation, with4:43limited river areas in the threat guidance.4:46Its scheduled 8 o'clock expiration would end the watch period without certifying4:50that every weather hazard had ended.Explore with HeyDexFollow via RSSThe shortThe short ↗