Alert archive / Maryland / Tornado Warnings in 2009

Tornado Warning 10, NWS Baltimore/Washington

July 31, 2009Carroll County, Frederick County, Maryland

NWS Baltimore/Washington issued this tornado warning at Jul 31, 2009, 2:17 PM EDT for Carroll County, Frederick County, Maryland. It was in force for 28 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 31, 2009, 2:17 PM EDT (18:17 UTC)
Expired
Jul 31, 2009, 2:45 PM EDT
In force
28 min
Issued by
NWS Baltimore/Washington
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Carroll County, MD, Frederick County, MD

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 65 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:17 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.

IssuedProductOfficeLasted
Jul 31, 1:18 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WatchSPC7 hr

The nearest sounding before it

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 12:00Z, 6.3 hours before the alert went out and 65 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 2009-07-31Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 276 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 2009-07-31The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -25 square meters per square second.19395878Sfc1 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
276 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-61 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
888 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
42 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-25 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
18 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
-0.0
Supercell composite
-0.3

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

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.

NWS Baltimore/Washington wrote its last area forecast discussion before this tornado warning went out at Jul 31, 2:16 PM EDT, 1 minute earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 31, 2:16 PM EDT, 1 minute before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 31, 1:48 PM EDT, 29 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
148 PM EDT FRI JUL 31 2009

ANZ530>543-DCZ001-MDZ006-007-011-013-014-016>018-VAZ052>057-
011000-
CHESAPEAKE BAY NORTH OF POOLES ISLAND MD-
CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM POOLES ISLAND TO SANDY POINT MD-
CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM SANDY POINT TO NORTH BEACH MD-
CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM NORTH BEACH TO DRUM POINT MD-
CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM DRUM POINT MD TO SMITH POINT VA-
TIDAL POTOMAC FROM KEY BRIDGE TO INDIAN HEAD MD-
TIDAL POTOMAC FROM INDIAN HEAD TO COBB ISLAND MD-
TIDAL POTOMAC FROM COBB ISLAND MD TO SMITH POINT VA-
PATAPSCO RIVER INCLUDING BALTIMORE HARBOR-
CHESTER RIVER TO QUEENSTOWN MD-EASTERN BAY-
CHOPTANK RIVER TO CAMBRIDGE MD AND THE LITTLE CHOPTANK RIVER-
PATUXENT RIVER TO BROOMES ISLAND MD-
TANGIER SOUND AND THE INLAND WATERS SURROUNDING BLOODSWORTH
ISLAND-DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-NORTHERN BALTIMORE-HARFORD-
SOUTHERN BALTIMORE-PRINCE GEORGES-ANNE ARUNDEL-CHARLES-ST. MARYS-
CALVERT-PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK-FAIRFAX-
ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA-STAFFORD-SPOTSYLVANIA-
KING GEORGE-
148 PM EDT FRI JUL 31 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE MARYLAND PORTION OF THE
CHESAPEAKE BAY...TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER...AND ADJACENT COUNTIES IN
CENTRAL MARYLAND AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA AS WELL AS THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA THIS
AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BE SEVERE...PRODUCING
DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...HEAVY RAIN AND POSSIBLE ISOLATED TORNADOES.
A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FOR THE OUTLOOK AREA
UNTIL 9 PM.

A GALE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE MARYLAND CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM
SANDY POINT TO SMITH POINT...AND THE TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER FROM COBB
ISLAND TO SMITH POINT...UNTIL MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.

A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE TIDAL POTOMAC
RIVER ABOVE COBB ISLAND...AND MARYLAND CHESAPEAKE BAY...NORTH OF SANDY
POINT...FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

MDZ003>005-009-010-501-502-VAZ021-025>031-036>042-050-051-
WVZ050>055-501>504-011000-
WASHINGTON-FREDERICK MD-CARROLL-MONTGOMERY-HOWARD-
EXTREME WESTERN ALLEGANY-CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALLEGANY-HIGHLAND-
AUGUSTA-ROCKINGHAM-SHENANDOAH-FREDERICK VA-PAGE-WARREN-CLARKE-
NELSON-ALBEMARLE-GREENE-MADISON-RAPPAHANNOCK-FAUQUIER-LOUDOUN-
ORANGE-CULPEPER-HAMPSHIRE-MORGAN-BERKELEY-JEFFERSON-PENDLETON-
HARDY-WESTERN GRANT-EASTERN GRANT-WESTERN MINERAL-EASTERN MINERAL-
148 PM EDT FRI JUL 31 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN WEST VIRGINIA...
NORTHERN AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA...AND CENTRAL AND WESTERN MARYLAND
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF GARRETT COUNTY.

.DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BE
SEVERE...PARTICULARLY ALONG AND EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE...PRODUCING
DAMAGING WIND GUSTS...HEAVY RAIN...AND POSSIBLE ISOLATED
TORNADOES. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9
PM FOR MOST COUNTIES EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

KRAMAR

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 31, 8:32 AM EDT, 5 hours 45 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
832 AM EDT FRI JUL 31 2009

..TIME..    ...EVENT...     ...CITY LOCATION...      ...LAT.LON...
..DATE..    ....MAG....     ..COUNTY LOCATION.. ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0451 PM     HAIL             1 WNW LUCKETTS          39.22N  77.55W
07/26/2009  E1.00 INCH       LOUDOUN            VA   PUBLIC

            STORM SPOTTER RELAYED REPORT BY NEIGHBOR

&&

EVENT NUMBER LWX0900385

KRAMAR
Special weather statement, Jul 31, 1:00 PM EDT, 1 hour 17 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
100 PM EDT FRI JUL 31 2009

MDZ003-004-VAZ028-031-042-WVZ052-053-311800-
WASHINGTON MD-FREDERICK MD-CLARKE VA-LOUDOUN VA-JEFFERSON WV-
BERKELEY WV-FREDERICK VA-
100 PM EDT FRI JUL 31 2009

...SHOWERS AND  THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT WASHINGTON...FREDERICK
MARYLAND... CLARKE...LOUDOUN ...JEFFERSON...BERKELEY AND FREDERICK
VIRGINIA COUNTIES...

AT 1257 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED SHOWERS WITH GUSTY WINDS
ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 2 MILES SOUTHEAST OF TOMAHAWK TO 2 MILES
SOUTH OF HAYFIELD...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH.

LOCATIONS THAT WILL LIKELY BE AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE CEDAR
HILL...ALBIN...MARTINSBURG...INWOOD...STEPHENSON...CLEAR BROOK...
BUNKER HILL...VANVILLE...BRUCETOWN AND WADESVILLE.

WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH AND OCCASIONAL THUNDER CAN BE EXPECTED
WITH THESE STORMS.

BAJ
Special weather statement, Jul 31, 1:10 PM EDT, 1 hour 7 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
110 PM EDT FRI JUL 31 2009

MDZ009-VAZ042-052-053-311800-
MONTGOMERY MD-LOUDOUN VA-PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK VA-
FAIRFAX VA-
110 PM EDT FRI JUL 31 2009

...STRONG STORM TO AFFECT MONTGOMERY...LOUDOUN...PRINCE
WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK AND FAIRFAX COUNTIES...

AT 110 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG STORM 3 MILES
SOUTHWEST OF BULL RUN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.

LOCATIONS THAT WILL LIKELY BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM INCLUDE
SUDLEY...MANASSAS PARK...CENTREVILLE...CHANTILLY...OAKTON...WOLF
TRAP...VIENNA...RESTON...BELLEVIEW AND TYSONS CORNER.

WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

KRAMAR
Special weather statement, Jul 31, 1:35 PM EDT, 42 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
135 PM EDT FRI JUL 31 2009

VAZ026-027-029-030-039>041-051-311830-
MADISON VA-CULPEPER VA-PAGE VA-RAPPAHANNOCK VA-FAUQUIER VA-WARREN VA-
SHENANDOAH VA-ROCKINGHAM VA-
135 PM EDT FRI JUL 31 2009

...STRONG SHOWERS TO AFFECT MADISON...CULPEPER...PAGE...
RAPPAHANNOCK...FAUQUIER...WARREN...SHENANDOAH AND ROCKINGHAM
COUNTIES...

AT 134 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A LINE OF STRONG SHOWERS
ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 2 MILES EAST OF TOMS BROOK TO 4 MILES
NORTHWEST OF SHENANDOAH...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH.

LOCATIONS THAT WILL LIKELY BE AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS INCLUDE
STANLEY...LURAY...FRONT ROYAL...BIG MEADOWS...SPERRYVILLE...HUME AND
DELAPLANE.

WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM.

BAJ

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 31, 3:58 AM EDTGale WarningLWX12 hr
Jul 31, 1:55 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXCulpeper, Madison, Page, Rappahannock50 min
Jul 31, 1:58 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXLoudoun47 min
Jul 31, 2:08 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX97 min
Jul 31, 2:24 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX108 min
Jul 31, 3:03 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX76 min
Jul 31, 3:13 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX2 hr
Jul 31, 3:27 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX85 min
Jul 31, 3:44 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX21 min
Jul 31, 3:53 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX63 min
Jul 31, 5:38 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX70 min
Jul 31, 6:00 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX90 min
Jul 31, 2:06 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXAnne Arundel, Baltimore, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's, City of Baltimore39 min
Jul 31, 2:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXBaltimore, Carroll15 min
Jul 31, 2:40 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXAnne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Harford, Howard, Montgomery and 1 more50 min
Jul 31, 3:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXAnne Arundel, Baltimore, Harford, Prince George's15 min

Nearby

Tornado Warnings in Maryland, 2009Every tornado warning in 2009Tornadoes in 2009

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.