Tornadoes touch down in Virginia, near D.C. military base

April 7 (UPI) -- The National Weather Service said at least two weak EF-0 tornadoes touched down in Herndon, Va., and southeast Washington, D.C., causing some damage.

The tornadoes had winds of 60 mph to 70 mph. NWS officials in Virginia concluded the tornado in Herndon caused tree and fence damage at 1:36 p.m. on Thursday.

Minutes later, another tornado touched down near Joint Base Anacostia–Bolling in southeast Washington, D.C., which uprooted dozens of trees. The roof of an apartment building was damaged less than a mile away from the base. The tornadoes came as part of a severe weather system that began affecting the Southeast earlier this week.

The tornado in southeast Washington, D.C., is the first time a tornado has touched down in the District of Columbia since September 2001, WTOP reported.

The NWS said the storm system that caused deaths and damage in the Southeast will move to the Northeast on Friday while it dissipates during the weekend.

"Gusty winds along with rain and snow showers should begin to gradually diminish across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states," the NWS said in a statement. "The same storm that brought widespread severe weather to the eastern third of the nation over the past few days is expected to lift through the Northeast on Friday. The greatest instability and any chance for severe weather will be well offshore but strong winds surrounding the storm's surface low should help trigger rain and snow showers downwind of the Great Lakes and along the upslope side of the central and northern Appalachians."

A ranger at the Jefferson Mem shot this afternoon's storm passing over the Tidal Basin before uprooting several trees on the far shore. pic.twitter.com/iYDavq6poO

— National Mall NPS (@NationalMallNPS) April 7, 2017