Alert archive / Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2002
Severe Thunderstorm Warning 33, NWS Baltimore/Washington
NWS Baltimore/Washington issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 12, 2002, 8:58 PM EDT for Arlington County, Fairfax County, Virginia; Montgomery County, Prince George's County, Maryland. It was in force for 47 min. No storm report in the archive falls inside the area while it was in force.
The area
The counties it named.
The facts
- Issued
- May 12, 2002, 8:58 PM EDT (00:58 UTC)
- Expired
- May 12, 2002, 9:45 PM EDT
- In force
- 47 min
- Issued by
- NWS Baltimore/Washington
- Area
- Whole counties
Counties Montgomery County, MD, Prince George's County, MD, Arlington County, VA, Fairfax County, VA
The radar
The Sterling radar (KLWX), 33 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:59 UTC, the scan nearest the moment this went out.
Open the radar archive at this moment
The archived warnings, watches and discussions in force at that minute are drawn over the scan, this one among them.
The watch it was issued in
The SPC watch in force over the same counties when this warning went out.
| Issued | Product | Office | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 12, 5:15 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 5 hr |
| May 12, 3:30 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Watch | SPC | 6 hr |
What forecasters said that day
The local office's own words before this severe thunderstorm warning went out, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Baltimore/Washington wrote its last area forecast discussion before this severe thunderstorm warning went out at May 12, 2:20 PM EDT, 6 hours 38 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 12, 2:20 PM EDT, 6 hours 38 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON 220 PM EDT SUN MAY 12 2002 TONIGHT... SHORTWAVE WILL MOVE EWD PASSING JUST N OF THE AREA 00Z-06Z. THE ASSOCD SFC WAVE WILL TRACK EWD ALG THE FNT WHICH WILL BE POSITIONED JUST N OF THE AREA. FNT WILL SAG SWD TOWARD THE PA BORDER LATER TNGT AND ANOTHER SFC WAVE WILL MOVE EWD ALG THE SAGGING FNT. DEWPOINTS ARE RISING NICELY OVR THE AREA AS S FLOW IS ADVECTING MOISTURE NWD. IN ADDTN...SOME AFTRN HEATING HAS RESULTED IN INCREASING CAPE AND LOWERING OF THE LIS FROM SW AND W WORKING ITS WAY NEWD. UNSTABLE AIR MASS NOW MOVING INTO THE AREA WITH THE LAST OF THE STABLE AIR EXITING NE MD. SO FAR...ONLY SCT CONVECTION OVR WRN AREAS IN AREA OF HIGHEST CAPES/LOWEST LIS. 12Z ETA HAS A 70KT WIND MAX AT 700MB CROSSING THE MD/PA BORDER AROUND 00Z IN ASSOCN WITH VORT MAX. IN ADDTN...ETA SHOWING GOOD PRES FALLS THIS EVE OVR THE AREA. EXPECT CONVECTION THIS EVENING AS SFC WAVE MOVES ALG THE FNT AND FNT SAGS SWD A BIT SWD. BIGGEST THREAT WILL BE STRAIGHT LINE DAMAGING WINDS THANKS TO SPEED MAX AND HIGHEST THREAT OF SVR WILL BE NEAR THAT SPEED MAX OVR THE NRN ZNS. WILL HAVE ENHANCED WORDING IN NRN 2/3 CWA FOR THIS EVENING. OVER THE SRN 1/3 OF THE AREA...DYNAMICS ARE LACKING AND WIND PROFILES NOT AS IMPRESSIVE. HOWEVER...THAT IS THE MOST UNSTABLE AREA SO CANT RULE OUT ISOLD SVR IN THAT AREA....BUT AGAIN...MAIN FOCUS SHOULD BE ACRS THE N. INITIAL ROUND OF CONVECTION WILL PASS BY 06Z BUT GIVEN THE PROXIMITY OF THE FNT AND THE FACT THAT ANOTHER WAVE WILL MOVE ALG IT...CANT RULE OUT SHRA/TSRA ALL NIGHT. HOWEVER...DO NOT EXPECT THE ACTIVITY LATER AT NIGHT TO BE SEVERE SINCE AIR MASS SHOULD BE WORKED OVER FROM INITIAL CONVECTION...AIR MASS WILL NOT BE AS UNSTABLE. WILL HAVE LIKELY POPS TONIGHT ACRS THE N 2/3 OF AREA...CLOSEST TO THE SFC AND UPR LVL SYSTEMS. FURTHER S...WILL GO WITH CHC POPS. PWS CLIMB FAIRLY HIGH TNGT SO TSTMS COULD CONTAIN HEAVY RAIN. HOWEVER...FFG VALUES NOT TOO LOW ATTM OVR CWA AND STORMS SHOULD BE MOVING AT A FAIRLY GOOD CLIP. WILL HOLD OFF ON ANY FFA FOR TNGT. WALSTON ...LONGER TERM...MON THRU SUN... BY MON MORNING...ORGANIZED CONVECTION FROM SUN NIGHT WILL HAVE COME TO AN END AND ATMOS WILL HAVE STABILIZED A BIT. MODELS SHOW ONLY WEAK LIFT S AND E OF SFC BOUNDARIES FCST TO BE NEAR W AND N CWA BORDERS BY SUNRISE. MOST OF CWA WILL BE IN WARM SECTOR SO THIS WILL ALLOW SOME SUN TO PEEK THRU DURING AM CAUSING SOME DEGREE OF INSTABILITY TO REDEVELOP. WARM FRONT JUST N OF CWA FCST TO PUSH SWARD BY EARLY AFT MAKING DEVELOPING SFC LOW TRACK ACROSS N CWA. COLD FROPA EXPECTED 00Z-06Z FROM W TO E. MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW GOOD VVEL IN ADDITION TO LLJET AND WEAK VORT DYNAMICS ALONG THESE BOUNDARIES SO LIKELY POPS WARRENTED. SPC PUT ENTIRE CWA IN SLIGHT RISK DAY 2 /MAINLY MON EVE/ FOR WIND GUSTS DUE TO SIG SPEED SHEAR FROM LLJET AHEAD OF COLD FRONT. TSTM SEVERITY WILL DEPEND ON HOW MUCH SUN WE GET DURING DAY MON. ANOTHER CONCERN IS PRECIP WATER VALUES AVG 1.75 INCH 18Z-00Z MON WHICH COULD CAUSE HEAVY DOWNPOURS. IF ANY AREA RECEIVES HVY RAINFALL TONIGHT ANOTHER ROUND OF PRECIP MON/MON NIGHT MIGHT CAUSE PROBLEMS. WILL LET MID SHIFT DECIDE IF ANY PART OF CWA NEEDS FLOOD WATCH BASED ON WHAT HAPPENS THIS EVE. SHRA/TSRA WILL COME TO AN END WITH FROPA MON NIGHT BUT LOW WILL BECOME CUTOFF OVER NEW ENGLAND TUE KEEPING CWA IN PATH OF VORTICITY ROTATING AROUND FEATURE. THIS WILL KEEP CONSIDERABLE CLDS AND LLRH IN CWA...ESPECIALLY IN MTNS TUE AND TUE NIGHT. THERE IS A SMALL THREAT OF UPSLOPE SHRA WITH FEATURE IN FAR W RIDGES SO WILL HAVE SILENT 20 POP THERE. CWA ALSO IN SIG PRES GRAD AS HIGH TRIES TO APPROACH. WILL MENTION BREEZY COND MON NIGHT THROUGH TUE NIGHT...EXCEPT WILL GO WINDY ON RIDGES MON NIGHT DUE TO STRENGTH OF CAA /850MB TEMPS DROP 12 DEGREES IN 12 HRS/ AND SIG PRESSURE FALLS. HIGH PRES ARRIVES WED CLEARING REMAINING CLDS...AND LINGERS THROUGH FRI. ECMWF AND AVN EXTENSION NOW AGREE COLD FRONT WILL APRROACH CWA FROM NW FRI NIGHT AND CROSS CWA SAT. GRADUAL CLEARING EXPECTED SUN AS LOW PUSHES OFFSHORE. REGARDING TEMPS...STAYED CLOSE TO GUIDANCE MON. MON NIGHT THRU WED...UNDERCUT GUIDANCE A BIT BECAUSE DO NOT BELIEVE WITH SUCH STRONG CAA AND 850MB TEMPS DROPPING TO NEAR ZERO THAT WE WILL REACH HIGHS NEAR 70. TEMPS WED A FEW DEGREES BELOW GUIDANCE FOR TRENDING PURPOSES. GUIDANCE TEMPS LOOKED GOOD FRI THRU SUN. THANKS FOR COORD RNK. MMARGRAF .LWX...NONE.
In the hours before
Local storm report, May 12, 5:26 PM EDT, 3 hours 32 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON
526 PM EDT SUN MAY 12 2002
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0428 PM MOUNT AETNA MD .75 INCH HAIL
05/12/02 WASHINGTON REPORTED BY
SPOTTERS
0452 PM GERMANTOWN MD WIND DAMAGE
05/12/02 MONTGOMERY TREES DOWNREPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT
0500 PM ROCKVILLE MD WIND DAMAGE
05/12/02 MONTGOMERY WIND BLEW ROOF OFFREPORTED
BY SPOTTERS
DMWLocal storm report, May 12, 5:47 PM EDT, 3 hours 11 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON
547 PM EDT SUN MAY 12 2002
TIME(EDT) .....CITY LOCATION.....STATE ...EVENT/REMARKS...
....COUNTY LOCATION....
0428 PM MOUNT AETNA MD .75 INCH HAIL
05/12/02 WASHINGTON REPORTED BY SPOTTERS
0452 PM GERMANTOWN MD WIND DAMAGE
05/12/02 MONTGOMERY TREES DOWN REPORTED BY LAW
ENFORCEMENT
0500 PM ROCKVILLE MD WIND DAMAGE
05/12/02 MONTGOMERY WIND BLEW ROOF OFF REPORTED
BY SPOTTERS
0500 PM COUNTY WIDE MD WIND DAMAGE
05/12/02 HOWARD TREES DOWN REPORTED BY LAW
0630 PM MANASSAS VA .75 INCH HAIL
05/12/02 MANASSAS CITY REPORTED BY SPOTTERS
0635 PM 3S MANASSAS VA .75 INCH HAIL
05/12/02 PRINCE WILLIAM REPORTED BY SPOTTERS
DMWSpecial weather statement, May 12, 6:00 PM EDT, 2 hours 58 minutes before
MDZ004>007-122330- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON 600 PM EDT SUN MAY 12 2002 A LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS STRETCHES FROM SOUTHEASTERN PENNSYLVANIA BACK THROUGH NORTHERN FREDERICK COUNTY MARYLAND. THESE STORMS ARE MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 40 MPH...AND WILL EFFECT THE MARYLAND COUNTIES OF FREDERICK EASTWARD TO HARFORD THROUGH 730 PM. IF YOU SEE OR HEAR ONE OF THESE STORMS APPROACHING MOVE TO SHELTER IMMEDIATELY. THESE STORMS WILL CONTAIN STRONG GUSTY WINDS...LIGHTNING...AND SMALL HAIL. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES.
Local storm report, May 12, 6:49 PM EDT, 2 hours 9 minutes before
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</html>Local storm report, May 12, 6:50 PM EDT, 2 hours 8 minutes before
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</html>The office that day
Everything else NWS Baltimore/Washington issued on the same UTC day.
| Issued | Product | Office | Counties | Lasted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 13, 12:51 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Rockingham, City of Harrisonburg | 39 min |
| May 13, 12:59 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Page | 31 min |
| May 13, 1:12 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Madison, Page, Rappahannock, Shenandoah, Warren | 48 min |
| May 13, 1:22 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Clarke, Frederick | 23 min |
| May 13, 1:47 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Loudoun | 43 min |
| May 13, 2:21 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William | 39 min |
| May 13, 3:30 PM EDT | Special Marine Warning | LWX | 2 hr | |
| May 13, 3:30 PM EDT | Special Marine Warning | LWX | 2 hr | |
| May 13, 3:32 PM EDT | Special Marine Warning | LWX | 43 min | |
| May 13, 4:06 PM EDT | Special Marine Warning | LWX | 39 min | |
| May 13, 7:02 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Clarke, Frederick, City of Winchester | 43 min |
| May 13, 3:11 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | LWX | Montgomery | 34 min |
| May 13, 3:14 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | LWX | Howard | 31 min |
| May 13, 3:21 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | LWX | Baltimore, City of Baltimore | 24 min |
| May 13, 3:46 PM EDT | Tornado Warning | LWX | Baltimore, Harford, City of Baltimore | 29 min |
| May 13, 4:36 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Harford | 24 min |
| May 13, 7:20 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Frederick | 40 min |
| May 13, 7:57 PM EDT | Severe Thunderstorm Warning | LWX | Saint Mary's | 33 min |
Nearby
Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Virginia, 2002Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Maryland, 2002Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2002
Sources
The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.