Tornadoes in D.C. ?

 

Source: NOAA

The United States typically sees an uptick in the amount of severe weather during April.  This month marked the 47^th anniversary of the infamous two-day “Super Outbreak” from April 3-4, 1974.  More recently, there have been some significant April severe weather outbreaks that have also impacted the DC Metro Area.  A “severe” thunderstorm contains any of the following: 1”/+ in diameter, wind gusts of 58 mph/+ or a tornado.

2019:  April was an especially active severe weather month.  Nearly 60 tornadoes touched down from Pennsylvania to Florida, with several reported in Virginia on April 19.  The closest to the Nation’s Capital was an EF-0 in Reston in nearby Fairfax County, Virginia.  Fortunately, no fatalities occurred in the DC Metro Area.

2017:  On April 6, two EF-0 tornadoes hit the District of Columbia.  They were short-lived and relatively weak, with peak winds of 70 mph and 75 mph, respectively.  However, they were significant because tornadoes are relatively rare within DC city limits.  These were the first tornadoes to occur in the Nation’s Capital since September 24, 2001.    

2013:  On April 19, an EF-0 tornado touched down in Largo, Maryland with winds of 85 mph.  An EF-1 tornado also touched down in Fredericksburg, Virginia.  It had sustained winds of 90 mph.  Minor damage occurred during both tornadoes, but there were no injuries or fatalities were reported. 

2011: One of the largest severe weather outbreaks on record occurred from April 25 – 28.  NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center counted a four-day total of more than 2,300 severe weather reports, nationally.  Of that total, nearly 500 of those events were confirmed tornadoes.  Nearly 300 of those tornadoes occurred on April 27, when nearly 300 tornadoes touched down and caused more than 200 fatalities.  Four EF-5 tornadoes were observed on April 27, 2011.  That remains the highest daily total since the “Super Outbreak” of April 3-4, 1974.  The DC Metro Area also saw some severe weather, including tornadoes, on April 27-28, 2011.

2008: On April 20, a total of 12 tornadoes occurred in Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina.  The two closest to the Nation’s Capital occurred in Middletown, Virginia, and one that tracked from Charles to Prince George’s County in Maryland.  Fortunately, there were no fatalities, but DC had 1.4” of rain that helped make that April DC’s wettest (4.92”) since April 2000 (5.13”).