A closer look at August severe weather

 

August 7, 2023 severe weather reports (Source: NOAA)

Although severe weather is less common across DC, Maryland and Virginia (DMV) in August than during the spring or early summer, it is still a threat. The key difference between August severe weather outbreaks compared to earlier in the year is that weakening tropical systems can bring damaging winds and tornadoes to the DMV.

“Severe weather” is 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.

2023: A massive two-day severe weather outbreak occurred from Illinois to New York on August 6 – 7. Two fatalities were reported on August 6 when gusty winds during a thunderstorm caused a tree to fall on a vehicle in Chickasaw County, Mississippi and killed its occupants. Severe weather reports were even more numerous on August 7, when damaging winds and large hail were widespread. Hail as large as 4” in diameter was observed in Washington County, Maryland.

2022: A severe weather outbreak occurred on August 4, with a slew of wind damage reports. A waterspout over the lower Chesapeake Bay also 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, resulting in three fatalities.

2020: The remnants of Hurricane Isaias brought record rainfall and severe weather to the Mid-Atlantic Region. Multiple 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. Although several injuries were reported during the severe weather, no fatalities occurred in the DMV.

2018: A severe weather outbreak on August 21 brought reports of wind damage across parts of Maryland and Virginia. 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.