Strongest Mid-Atlantic Tornadoes

Severe Weather Reports for April 6, 2017 (Source: NOAA)

This past Thursday, April 6, was an historic weather day for the Mid-Atlantic Region since Washingtonians saw their first tornadoes in more than two decades.  Prior to this week, there had only been eight tornadoes on record in Washington, D.C. with the most recent on September 24, 2001.  Since official tornado records kept by NOAA began in 1950 and seven of the eight prior tornadoes in Washington, D.C. occurred before then, there is an inherent amount of uncertainty in the official count.

Last Thursday afternoon was historic because two EF-0 tornadoes touched down.  They caused only minor damage and, fortunately, no fatalities.  However, they were significant since tornadoes are very rare in the Nation’s Capital and these occurred as part of a larger severe weather outbreak.  From April 4 through April 6, a total of 550 reported cases of severe weather occurred from the Midwest to the East Coast, including 30 tornadoes.  

The United States sees most of its severe weather during the months of April, May and June.  True to form, five of the previous eight tornadoes to occur in the Nation’s Capital occurred during that timeframe.  The strongest tornado on record in Washington, D.C. was an F3 that developed in Rock Creek Park on April 5, 1923.

Maryland has had three significant tornadoes in the last 20 years.  On April 28, 2002, an exceptionally rare F4 tornado developed in Charles County.  Although this tornado had a track that spanned nearly 70 miles, it reached its peak intensity as it passed through the town of La Plata with winds of nearly 260 mph.  It caused a total of more than $100 million in damage, in addition to five fatalities and dozens of injuries.  The 2002 La Plata tornado remains the strongest tornado on record in the state of Maryland.

The town of College Park, Maryland saw a F3 tornado on September 24, 2001.  Tragically, two sisters who were students at the University of Maryland lost their lives during this tornado, which also caused extensive damage.  In addition, an F4 tornado occurred on June 2, 1998 in Frostburg, Maryland. Wind speeds of the Frostburg tornado were estimated as high as 210 mph.

NOAA data indicates the state of Maryland sees an average of 10 tornadoes annually, while the state of Virginia sees 18.  As in Maryland, the two strongest tornadoes on record in Virginia were F4s.  One occurred on August 6, 1993, and the second on September 24, 2001.  Tornadoes are ranked on the “Enhanced Fujita Scale” or “EF” scale for short.  Named after the late Dr. Ted Fujita of the University of Chicago, a scale to measure tornado intensity has been in use since 1971.