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| Hail in Broomes Island, Maryland (Courtesy: Kristen Leitch) |
Although
less busy in terms of severe weather reports compared to April or May, the DC
Metro Area has had a significant amount of June severe weather. “Severe weather” is defined as a thunderstorm
that contains any of the following: 1) hail 1”/+ in diameter; 2) wind gusts of
at least 58 mph; or 3) a tornado.
2019: Last June 2 was an active weather day in the DC Metro Area
with multiple reports of large hail. Hail
as large as 2” in diameter reported in Damascus, Maryland, as well as 1”
diameter hail reported at the White House.
Having widespread large hail reports in the DC Metro Area is relatively
uncommon compared to other parts of the country.
2015: On June 23, hail 3”
in diameter was reported in the Baltimore suburb of Cockeysville, while 4” diameter hail was reported in Timonium, Maryland. That nearly tied the Maryland state record
for largest hail of 4.5”. According to
the National Weather Service, the last time 4” diameter hail was observed in Maryland
was in 1999.
2012: There were three major instances of severe weather in the DC Metro Area. The most notorious was the June 29 derecho that caused widespread damage and power outages. However, less well reported were the two other major severe weather outbreaks that month. One occurred on June 1 with 38 tornadoes concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Of these, Maryland had 10 confirmed tornadoes, with the strongest an EF-1 in Harford County with peak wind speeds of 86-110 mph.
A few weeks later on June 22, the primary type of severe weather was damaging winds. Two downbursts occurred in Maryland, one each in the towns of Bladensburg and Johnsville. A “downburst” is an area of strong winds that occurs when cold air located high in the thunderstorm accelerates as it descends toward the ground. These winds spread out as they reach the ground, where speeds can approach 100 mph – equivalent to the wind speeds in an EF-1 tornado.
2012: There were three major instances of severe weather in the DC Metro Area. The most notorious was the June 29 derecho that caused widespread damage and power outages. However, less well reported were the two other major severe weather outbreaks that month. One occurred on June 1 with 38 tornadoes concentrated in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Of these, Maryland had 10 confirmed tornadoes, with the strongest an EF-1 in Harford County with peak wind speeds of 86-110 mph.
A few weeks later on June 22, the primary type of severe weather was damaging winds. Two downbursts occurred in Maryland, one each in the towns of Bladensburg and Johnsville. A “downburst” is an area of strong winds that occurs when cold air located high in the thunderstorm accelerates as it descends toward the ground. These winds spread out as they reach the ground, where speeds can approach 100 mph – equivalent to the wind speeds in an EF-1 tornado.
1996: On June 24, three tornadoes
were reported in northern Virginia. An
F0 tornado touched down in Loudoun County and later the same thunderstorm
dropped a second tornado. The second
reached F2 intensity in Fairfax County near Sully Station where the most
significant damage occurred. A third
tornado reached F1 intensity in Rockingham County.
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