Alert archive / Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2003

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 116, NWS Baltimore/Washington

July 7, 2003Orange County, Virginia

NWS Baltimore/Washington issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jul 7, 2003, 5:30 PM EDT for Orange County, Virginia. It was in force for 45 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
Jul 7, 2003, 5:30 PM EDT (21:30 UTC)
Expired
Jul 7, 2003, 6:15 PM EDT
In force
45 min
Issued by
NWS Baltimore/Washington
Area
Counties, with a storm outline in the text

County Orange County, VA

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 93 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 21:31 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 nearest sounding before it

Roanoke, VA (KRNK), launched 12:00Z, 9.5 hours before the alert went out and 175 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, Roanoke, VA at 12:00Z on 2003-07-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 625 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, Roanoke, VA at 12:00Z on 2003-07-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 65 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
625 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-9 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
578 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
28 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
65 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
54 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.1
Supercell composite
0.6

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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 Jul 7, 2:55 PM EDT, 2 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 7, 2:55 PM EDT, 2 hours 35 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
255 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2003

CORRECTED CODING AT BOTTOM.

ZNS WL BE RELEASED SHORTLY. WATCH BOX HAS JUST BEEN GENERATED AND WL
HV WATCH INCORPORATED IN.
***
TODAY AND TNT...ANOTHER DAY OF CONVECTION FOR THE MID ATLANTIC.
INSTAB IS LESSER THAN SUNDAY WITH LIS OF -5 INSTEAD OF -7 AND CAPES
AROUND 2000 INSTEAD OF 3000...BUT STILL ENOUGH FOR MORE SHRA AND
TSRA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. FLOW STAYS ZONAL IN THE SHORT TERM
BUT BACKS A BIT OVERNIGHT AND SFC WINDS WILL BE AROUND 280 DEGS.
THAT WILL HELP TO SUPPRS CONVTN A BIT MORE. SO WENT WITH LOWR POPS
TOMORROW AS WELL AS HIGHER TMPS.

FWC HAS BEEN RUNNING THREE DEGS TOO HIGH FOR SECOND PERIOD MAX
FORECASTING...SO WILL STICK WITH 3 DEGS OFF THE FWC MAX WHICH PUTS
IT A COUPLE OF DEGS HIGHER THAN TODAY AND GENERALLY 90 TO 95.

STRONG

.LONGER...TUE NGT-MON

LOOKING LIKE A PD OF RW/TRW FOR THE WRKWK...AND THEN QUITE PLSNT MID
SUMMER WX FOR THE WKND. INITIALLY A CD FNT POSITIONED N OF THE
CWA...AND AS IS COMMON AT THIS TIME OF YR IT DOESNT MOVE VERY
QUICKLY SWD THEREAFTER. HENCE MID ATLC WL BE ON THE MOIST SIDE OF
THE BNDRY WED-FRI...AND WL HV CHC TRW ON EACH OF THESE DAYS. IN
UPPER LVL PATTERN A SHORT WV COMES THRU ON FRI W/ LOW PRES DVLPG ON
THE STATIONARY BDNRY...KICKING A CD FNT THRU AND OFF THE CST.
THINKING IS BEST CHC POPS WL BE THU AFTN/ERLY FRI IN ASSO W/ THIS
FEATURE.

W/ HIGH PRES BUILDING IN BEHIND WKND LOOKS TO BE FAIRLY COMFORTABLE
FOR MID JUL W/ RLTVLY LOW RH AND HIGHS IN THE M80S. WL LV NEXT MON
AS DRY FOR NOW. LATER SHIFTS CAN REVISIT.

WOODY

.LWX...
DC...SVR TSTM WTCH UNTIL 8 PM.
MD...SVR TSTM WTCH UNTIL 8 PM FREDERICK-HARFORD-PG-ANNE ARUNDEL-
      BALTIMORE-HOWARD-MONGOMERY-FREDERICK-CARROLL
VA...SVR TSTM WTCH UNTIL 8 PM LOUDOUN-FAIRFAX-PRINCE WILLIAM.
WV...NONE.
MARINE...SVR TSTM WTCH UNTIL 8 PM.
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 7, 10:33 AM EDT, 6 hours 57 minutes before
DCZ001-MDZ002>007-009>011-013-014-016>018-VAZ021-025>031-036>042-
050>057-WVZ048>055-081200-

SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
1033 AM EDT MON JUL 7 2003

.DAY ONE...TODAY
THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE REGION
TODAY. THE GREATEST THREAT FROM THE SEVERE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING
WINDS. THE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE MOST NUMEROUS BETWEEN THE HOURS OF
3:00 PM AND 10:00 PM. THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF
DOWNING TREES AND POWER LINES.

IN ADDITION...ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT FORM TODAY WILL BE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING HEAVY DOWNPOURS DUE TO THE HUMID CONDITIONS. SOME
LOCATIONS MAY EXPERIENCE LOCALIZED FLOODING IN LOW LYING AREAS AND
ON ROADWAYS WITH POOR DRAINAGE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NECESSARY THIS AFTERNOON.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...
NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

STRONG

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jul 7, 3:25 PM EDT, 2 hours 5 minutes before
MDZ009-VAZ042-053-072030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
325 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2003

AT 3:25 PM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM PHILOMONT TO POOLESVILLE...IN NORTHERN LOUDON
COUNTY...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF
PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH.

THE GUSTY WINDS MAY COME AHEAD OF ANY RAIN OR THUNDER.

THE COMMUNITIES OF GAITHERSBURG...NORTH
POTOMAC...POOLESVILLE...POTOMAC...ROCKVILLE...ASHBURN...COUNTRYSIDE..
.GREAT FALLS...HERNDON...LEESBURG...RESTON...ARCOLA AND DULLES
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT MAY BE AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS THROUGH 4:30
PM.

ROGOWSKI
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 3:31 PM EDT, 1 hour 59 minutes before
VAZ040-051-072030-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
331 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2003

AT 3:31 PM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 2 MILES
NORTHEAST OF SLATE MILLS...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THIS STORM
WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH. THE
COMMUNITIES OF CULPEPER...AND MUCH OF SOUTHERN CULPEPER
COUNTY...WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM THROUGH 4:30 PM.

ROGOWSKI
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 4:03 PM EDT, 1 hour 27 minutes before
DCZ001-MDZ009-010-013-014-016-018-VAZ052>054-072115-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
403 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2003

AT 4:03 PM...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A
LINE EXTENDING FROM 3 MILES SOUTHWEST OF DAYTON TO ALEXANDRIA TO 7
MILES SOUTHWEST OF INDEPENDENT HILL...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. THESE
STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 50
MPH...IN ADDITION TO VERY HEAVY RAIN. A LARGE PORTION OF THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA...HOWARD...MONTGOMERY...ANNE ARUNDEL...PRINCE
GEORGES...CALVERT...CHARLES...CITY OF ALEXANDRIA...CITY OF
FAIRFAX...CITY OF FALLS CHURCH...ARLINGTON...PRINCE WILLIAM AND
FAIRFAX COUNTIES WILL BE AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS THROUGH 5:15 PM.

ROGOWSKI
Special weather statement, Jul 7, 4:40 PM EDT, 50 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 7, 5:05 PM EDT, 25 minutes before
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Special weather statement, Jul 7, 5:17 PM EDT, 13 minutes before
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  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
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  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
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    <section class="card" role="status" aria-live="polite">
      <div class="status" id="status">Temporary Notice</div>
      <h1 id="headline">This service is currently unavailable.</h1>
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        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 6, 8:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXRappahannock, Warren45 min
Jul 6, 8:47 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXRappahannock, Warren43 min
Jul 6, 9:14 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX31 min
Jul 7, 4:48 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX117 min
Jul 7, 4:51 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX114 min
Jul 7, 5:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXSpotsylvania64 min
Jul 7, 6:07 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX113 min
Jul 7, 6:07 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX113 min
Jul 6, 8:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXMontgomery57 min
Jul 6, 8:56 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXBaltimore, Howard94 min
Jul 6, 8:58 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXFrederick62 min
Jul 6, 9:35 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXHarford70 min
Jul 6, 9:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXAnne Arundel, City of Baltimore64 min
Jul 7, 4:52 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXPrince George's53 min
Jul 7, 6:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXCalvert, Saint Mary's57 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Virginia, 2003Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2003

Sources

The product and its follow-ups from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service and Storm Prediction Center text; the sounding from the Mesonet's radiosonde archive; radar from the NEXRAD Level II archive.