Alert archive / Maryland / Tornado Warnings in 1990

Tornado Warning 4, NWS Baltimore/Washington

July 1, 1990Charles County, Saint Mary's County, Maryland

NWS Baltimore/Washington issued this tornado warning at Jul 1, 1990, 3:50 PM EDT for Charles County, Saint Mary's County, Maryland. It was in force for 40 min. 1 report came from inside the area while it was in force.

The area

The counties it named, with what was reported inside it.

The facts

Issued
Jul 1, 1990, 3:50 PM EDT (19:50 UTC)
Expired
Jul 1, 1990, 4:30 PM EDT
In force
40 min
Issued by
NWS Baltimore/Washington
Area
Whole counties

Counties Charles County, MD, Saint Mary's County, MD

The radar

The WSR-88D network and its archive begin in 1991, so there is no radar volume for this alert.

What was reported inside it

TimeReportWhereRemark
Jul 1, 4:00 PM EDTThunderstorm Wind 0Charles, MD

NCEI Storm Data entries that began inside the alert's area while it was in force. Before 2003 the local storm report archive is thin, so this is the record of what happened rather than what was phoned in. Storm Data before 1996 records only tornadoes, thunderstorm wind and hail.

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 7.8 hours before the alert went out and 87 km from the middle of its area. This is the routine balloon launch nearest before it, the air the forecaster had in hand, not a measurement taken for the alert.

Skew-T log-pSkew-T log-p diagram, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 1990-07-01Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 147 joules per kilogram.LCLLFCEL10008507005003002001001 km2 km3 km6 km9 km12 km15 km-30°-20°-10°0°10°20°30°40°
Temperature in red, dew point in green, the mixed-layer parcel dashed.
HodographHodograph, Washington/Dulle, VA at 12:00Z on 1990-07-01The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 70 square meters per square second.193958Sfc1 km3 km6 km9 kmRMLM
The wind turning with height, colored by layer: ground to 1 km, 1 to 3 km, 3 to 6 km, 6 to 10 km.
Mixed-layer CAPE
147 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-183 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1047 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
34 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
70 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
98 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

The text

As transmitted, in the capitals the NWS used until 2016.

000 
TTAA00 KBWI 011950 RRA
TORBWI
MDC017-037-012030-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED/EBS ACTIVATION REQUESTED 
TORNADO WARNING 
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD
350 PM EDT SUN JUL 1 1990

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING 
EFFECTIVE UNTIL 430 PM EDT FOR PEOPLE IN THE FOLLOWING 
COUNTIES

   IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND
      SOUTHERN CHARLES...ST MARYS

 RADAR INDICATED A POSSIBLE TORNADO MOVING SOUTHEAST THROUGH
 WESTERN CHARLES COUNTY AT ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR. AT THIS
 DIRECTION AND SPEED IT COULD TAKE IT INTO ST MARY'S COUNTY
 SHORTLY AFTER 4PM EDT.

IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF A TORNADO..GO TO A BASEMENT SHELTER
OR A CENTRAL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. ABANDON CARS gAND
MOBILE HOMES FOR REINFORCED BUILDINGS.

PLEASE REPORT ALL SEVERE WEATHER TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS AND
ASK THERM TO RELAY THE REPORT ALONG TO A WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE.

FIGUEROA

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this tornado warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 1, 1:35 PM EDT, 2 hours 15 minutes before
MDZ001>007-011730

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
130PM EDT SUN JUL 1 1990

 ..SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT FOR MUCH OF CENTRAL AND WESTERN
   MARYLAND INCLDING THE BALTIMORE METRO AREA UNTIL 7PM EDT.

AT 115PM EDT..WEATHER RADAR WAS INDICATING AN AREA OF SHOWERS AND THUND-
ERSTORMS FROM SOUTHCENTRAL PENNSYLVANIA THROUGH FREDERICK AND WASHINGTON
COUNTIES IN MARYLAND INTO WEST VIRGINIA. THERE ARE A COUPLE OF ISOLATED
SHOWERS..RECENTLY DEVELOPED OVER WESTERN BALTIMORE AND CARROLL COUNTIES.
ALL THE STORMS ARE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT ABOUT 25 TO 35 MILES PER HOUR.
 THIS AREA IS THE LEADING EDGE OF ACTIVITY WHICH HAS THE POTENTIAL TO
PRODUCE LARGE HAIL..DAMAGIN#G WINDS AND DANGEROUS LIGHTNING.

PERSONS OUT-OF-DOORS SHOULD BE PREPARED FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF RAPIDLY
CHANGING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION IMMEDIATELY.

FIGUEROA
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 2:11 PM EDT, 1 hour 39 minutes before
MDZ001>007-011815

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
210PM EDT SUN JUL 1 1990

 ..STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING INTO HOWARD AND CARROLL COUNTIES...

AT 200PM EDT..WEATHER RADAR WAS INDICATING A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM
MOVING SOUTHEAST FROM FREDERICK COUNTY AT ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR,THIS
STORM IS MOVING ALONG THE MONTGOMERYAND HOWARD COUNTY LINE.

THIS STORM MAY PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL AS IT PASSES THROUGH
THA`T AREA. PERSONS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS
AS THIS STORM APPROACHES.

FIGUEROA
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 2:17 PM EDT, 1 hour 33 minutes before
MDZ001>007-011815

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
210PM EDT SUN JUL 1 1990

 ..STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING INTO HOWARD AND MONTGOMERY COUNTIES..

AT 200PM EDT..WEATHER RADAR WAS INDICATING A VERY STRONG THUNDERSTORM
MOVING SOUTHEAST FROM FREDERICK COUNTY AT ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR,THIS
STORM IS MOVING ALONG THE MONTGOMERY AND HOWARD COUNTY LINE.

THIS STORM MAY PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND HAIL AS IT PASSES THROUGhH
THAT AREA. PERSONS SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE THE PROPER PRECAUTIONS
AS THIS STORM APPROACHES.

FIGUEROA
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 3:11 PM EDT, 39 minutes before
MDZ001>007-011910

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
310PM EDT SUN JUL 1 1990

 ..STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL MARYLAND....

AT 300PM EDT..WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING
FROM KENT COUNTY ON THE EASTERN SHORE ACROSS THE BAY THROUGH ANNAPOLIS
IN ANNE ARUNDEL..THROUGH PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
INTO NORTHERN VIRGINIA. MOVEMENT IS TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST AT ABOUT 30
MILES PER HOUR,

THE HEAVIEST STORMS ARE PRESENTLY OVER PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY AND THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA. THESE STORM WILL BE MOVING
THROUGH ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY AND THROUGH CHARLES AND CALVERT COUNTIES
IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND AND INTO THE BAY FROM BALTIMORE HARBOR TO NEAR
THE PATUXENT RIVER.

PERSONS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING CONDITIONS AND BE
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 3:13 PM EDT, 37 minutes before
MDZ001>007-011910

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
310PM EDT SUN JUL 1 1990

 ..STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL MARYLAND....

AT 300PM EDT..WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING
FROM KENT COUNTY ON THE EASTERN SHORE ACROSS THE BAY THROUGH ANNAPOLIS
IN ANNE ARUNDEL..THROUGH PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
INTO NORTHERN VIRGINIA. MOVEMENT IS TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST AT ABOUT 30
MILES PER HOUR,

THE HEAVIEST STORMS ARE PRESENTLY OVER PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY AND THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA. THESE STORM WILL BE MOVING
THROUGH ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY AND THROUGH CHARLES AND CALVERT COUNTIES
IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND AND INTO THE BAY FROM BALTIMORE HARBOR TO NEAR
THE PATUXENT RIVER.

PERSONS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING CONDITIONS AND BE
PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION QUICKLY AND SAFELY.

FIGUEROA
Special weather statement, Jul 1, 3:15 PM EDT, 35 minutes before
MDZ001>007-011910

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
310PM EDT SUN JUL 1 1990

 ..STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH SOUTH CENTRAL MARYLAND....

AT 300PM EDT..WEATHER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING
FROM KENT COUNTY ON THE EASTERN SHORE ACROSS THE BAY THROUGH ANNAPOLIS
IN ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY..THROUGH PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA INTO NORTHERN VIRGINIA. MOVEMENT IS TOWARD THE SOUTHEAST AT
ABOUT 35 MILES PER HOUR,

THE HEAVIEST STORMS ARE PRESENTLY OVER PRINCE GEORGES COUNTY AND THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA. THESE STORMS WILL BE MOVING
THROUGH ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY AND THROUGH CHARLES AND CALVERT COUNTIES
IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND AND INTO THE BAY FROM BALTIMORE HARBOR TO SOUTH
TO NEAR THE PATUXENT RIVER.

PERSONS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THREATENING CONDITIONS AND BE
PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION QUICKLY AND SAFELY.

FIGUEROA

The office that day

Everything else NWS Baltimore/Washington issued on the same UTC day.

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 1, 2:00 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXMontgomery60 min
Jul 1, 2:59 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXPrince George's61 min
Jul 1, 3:29 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXCalvert, Charles, Saint Mary's61 min
Jul 1, 5:05 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXWicomico, Worcester55 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Maryland, 1990Every tornado warning in 1990Tornadoes in 1990

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; verification from NCEI's Storm Data; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive.