Notorious August severe weather outbreaks

 

"Moderate" severe weather potential in the Mid-Atlantic (Source: NOAA)

Although severe weather is less common across the Mid-Atlantic in August than during the spring or early summer, it still occurs often. The key difference in severe weather outbreaks this month compared to earlier in the year is that weakening tropical systems can impact the DMV bringing damaging winds and tornadoes.

NOAA defines “severe weather” as a thunderstorm that contains one or more of the following: hail 1” in diameter or greater; wind gusts of at least 58 mph; or a tornado.  These are a few recent cases of severe weather in August.

2022: A severe weather outbreak occurred on Thursday, August 4, with a slew of wind damage reports, along with a waterspout over the lower Chesapeake Bay that moved ashore in Somerset County, Maryland as a tornado. Sadly, four people were struck by lightning as they visited Lafayette Park across from the White House. There were three fatalities and the fourth person suffered severe injuries. Since lightning is not one of the criteria that makes a thunderstorm “severe,” these fatalities are not listed as having been caused by “severe weather.”

2020: The remnants of Hurricane Isaias brought record rainfall and severe weather to the Mid-Atlantic Region. Multiple confirmed tornadoes occurred across Maryland, Virginia and the Eastern Shore. That’s in addition to an August 4 rainfall record of 2.48” at National Airport, 1.87” at Dulles Airport, and an impressive but not record-setting total of 2.32” at BWI Airport. Although several injuries were reported to NOAA during the severe weather, no fatalities were reported in the DMV.

2018: A severe weather outbreak on August 21 brought reports of wind damage across parts of Maryland and Virginia. While no tornadoes occurred, National Airport had a daily rainfall record of 2.46”. Significantly, it was one of 24 days in 2018 that an inch or more of rain fell in the Nation’s Capital. Washington, D.C. had its wettest year on record in 2018 with 66.28”

2010: There was a severe weather outbreak on August 12 with multiple damaging wind and hail reports. An EF-0 tornado was confirmed in Frederick County, Maryland with estimated peak winds of 80 mph. Meanwhile, damaging but non-tornadic wind damage occurred in parts of Montgomery County, Maryland and Stafford County, Virginia.