Tornados in Ashburn (Equinix affected)

Sat Sep 18 23:19:47 UTC 2004

>From the NWS:

A tornadic thunderstorm moved into eastern Loudoun County from 
western Fairfax County in the vicinity of the Washington Dulles 
International Airport. This tornado passed within one half mile of 
the National Weather Service forecast office in Sterling. This 
prompted the weather forecast office staff on duty to seek shelter 
in the safe room constructed in the office. The tornado traveled 
north from Dulles Airport... just west of Route 28 into portions of 
Ashburn. The tornado produced some damage on the America online 
Campus off of Waxpool Rd and more extensive damage to the north in 
the beaumeade corporate park. Many trees were snapped and uprooted 
along the path of the tornado in the corporate park. Additionally... 
three roofs were blown off of buildings and one wall collapsed on 
one building. The tornado also tumbled two automobiles into the side 
of a building and turned over a tractor trailer. Based on the damage 
produced in the corporate park... the tornado reached a maximum 
intensity of F2 on the fujita scale. 