Alert archive / Maryland / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2012

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 363, NWS Baltimore/Washington

October 18, 2012Carroll County, Frederick County, Washington County, Maryland

NWS Baltimore/Washington issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Oct 18, 2012, 9:55 PM EDT for Carroll County, Frederick County, Washington County, Maryland. It was in force for 30 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
Oct 18, 2012, 9:55 PM EDT (01:55 UTC)
Expired
Oct 18, 2012, 10:25 PM EDT
In force
30 min
Issued by
NWS Baltimore/Washington
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Carroll County, MD, Frederick County, MD, Washington County, MD

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 64 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 01:55 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

Washington/Dulle, VA (KIAD), launched 00:00Z, 1.9 hours before the alert went out and 66 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 00:00Z on 2012-10-19Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 203 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 00:00Z on 2012-10-19The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 208 square meters per square second.1939587897117136Sfc1 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
203 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-25 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
714 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
54 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
208 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
334 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
2.2

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 Oct 18, 9:16 PM EDT, 39 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Oct 18, 9:16 PM EDT, 39 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
916 PM EDT THU OCT 18 2012

.SYNOPSIS...
A COLD FRONT WILL PUSH THROUGH THE MID ATLANTIC EARLY FRIDAY. AN
UPPER LEVEL TROUGH WILL THEN PERSIST ACROSS THE NORTHEASTERN
STATES THROUGH SATURDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD BACK ACROSS THE
REGION FROM THE WEST SATURDAY THROUGH MONDAY...AND CONTINUE WELL INTO
NEXT WEEK.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH FRIDAY/...
CNVTCN FLARING UP LATE THIS EVE AS MAIN PRE-FRONTAL TROF PASSES
THRU HIGHLANDS. CLUSTERS OF SHWRS/TSTMS ALONG/AHEAD OF THIS
FEATURE...AS FAR EAST AS WRN DC/BALT METRO. 0Z SOUNDING HAS
IMPRESSIVE WIND FIELD...SO STRONGER CELLS MAY CONT GUSTY WINDS AND
EVEN DMGG DOWNBURSTS. IN ADDITION...0C AND -20C LVLS ARE VERY
LOW...AND HAIL IS A RISK. TIMING OF ACTIVITY HAS CONTINUALLY
SLOWED WITH SUCCESSIVE MESOSCALE GUIDANCE RUNS...SO POPS ADJUSTED
ACCORDINGLY. BEST CHC OF SVR WX WILL BE BEFORE ABOUT 2 AM EDT.
SHWRS LIKELY TO CONT WELL INTO THE NGT...GRADUALLY ENDING FROM W
TO E BEFORE SUNSET. WHEN PCPN WANES...SATURATED LOW/MID LVLS AND
DECOUPLG NEAR THE SFC WILL SUPPORT AT LEAST PATCHY FOG DVLPMNT.
PREV DISCUSSION FOLLOWS...

PRECIPITATION WILL LAG BEHIND THE BOUNDARY DURING AT LEAST THE FIRST
PART OF FRIDAY ESPECIALLY OVER EASTERN SECTIONS OF THE FORECAST
AREA. WILL KEEP CHANCES MUCH OF THE MORNING INTO THE AFTERNOON
HOURS. HIGH TEMPERATURES WILL STILL RISE ABOVE NORMAL DURING FRIDAY
BUT CONDITIONS WILL BE NOTICEABLY DRIER.

&&

.SHORT TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY/...
SPRAWLING CLOSED LOW EJECTS NORTHEAST FROM THE CENTRAL GREAT LAKES
FRIDAY NIGHT...WITH AN UPR TROUGH PERSISTING ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC
THROUGH SATURDAY. SFC HIGH PRESSURE SOUTH OF THE LOW...WILL BUILD
EAST INTO THE MID ATLANTIC THROUGH THIS TIME...LIMITING THE EXTENT
OF PRECIP TO THE POTOMAC HIGHLANDS AND NORTHWESTERN ZONES. ONE
EXCEPTION OCCURS AS THE TROF AXIS PUSHES EAST ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC
SATURDAY AFTERNOON. COMBINATION OF PVA AND PEAK HEATING COULD
CAUSE SHOWERS INTO THE WRN BALT-WASH SUBURBS...WHERE SLIGHT CHANCE
POPS WERE INTRODUCED. TEMPERATURES RETURN TO NORMAL FOR THE
WEEKEND AS MID CONTINENTAL AIR BUILDS IN FROM THE WEST WITH THE
HIGH PRESSURE. MIN TEMPS FRIDAY NIGHT MID TO UPR 30S IN THE
POTOMAC HIGHLANDS...LOW TO MID 40S PIEDMONT AND WEST...LOW 50S
COASTAL PLAINS. MAX TEMPS SATURDAY LOW TO MID 60S WEST OF THE BLUE
RIDGE...MID TO UPR 60S EAST.

&&

.LONG TERM /SATURDAY NIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY/...
SATURDAY NIGHT WELL INTO NEXT WEEK...A DOMINATING RIDGE BUILDS IN
THE WAKE OF THE GREAT LAKES LOW WITH A SFC HIGH PERSISTING ACROSS
THE E-CNTRL CONUS PERHAPS THROUGH NEXT WEEK /PER RECENT ECMWF RUNS/
OR PERHAPS SHUNTING TO THE SERN CONUS BY MID NEXT WEEK WITH A WEAK
COLD FRONT ENTERING THE MID ATLANTIC /PER RECENT GFS RUNS/. DRY AND
SEASONABLE SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY WITH A SLIGHT WARMING TREND...NO
FREEZES EXPECTED THROUGH NEXT WEEK. ONLY SLIGHT CHANCE POPS FOR THE
POTOMAC HIGHLANDS IN THE MIDWEEK FOR NOW.

&&

.AVIATION /01Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
SHWRS/TSTMS ONGOING AT 1Z FOR MRB/IAD/CHO...AND WILL SPREAD INTO
RMNG TAF SITES BY 3Z. LOCALIZED STRONG WINDS PSBL WITH STRONGER
ACTIVITY...AND SPORADIC/SIGNIFICANT RESTRICTIONS LIKELY THRU 6Z.
THEREAFTER...GUIDANCE SUGGESTS FOG CUD SET IN...SO WENT IFR FOR
VSBYS AREAWIDE.

CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE FROM WEST TO EAST MID TO LATE MORNING
FRIDAY OVER WESTERN AND CENTRAL SECTIONS AND DURING THE AFTERNOON
OVER THE EAST.

SWLY FLOW SHIFTS NWLY FRIDAY NIGHT BEHIND THE ACTUAL COLD FRONT. UPR
TROUGH KEEPS MID LEVEL CLOUDS AND POSSIBLE LIGHT RAIN NW OF
BALT-WASH /INCL KMRB/ SATURDAY AFTERNOON. HIGH PRESSURE AND VFR THEN
SATURDAY NIGHT WELL INTO NEXT WEEK. MORNING FOG CHANCES MONDAY AND
TUESDAY NIGHTS.

&&

.MARINE...
SMALL CRAFT CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE TO RAMP UP FOR THE REMAINDER OF
THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING WITH GUSTS APPROACHING 25 TO 30 KTS AT
TIMES. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS WILL
CROSS THE WATERS LATER TONIGHT. SOME OF THESE STORMS COULD MIX DOWN
STRONGER GALE FORCE WIND GUSTS. WILL MONITOR THIS POTENTIAL
THROUGHOUT THIS EVENING.

COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE WATERS OVERNIGHT INTO FRIDAY BUT SMALL
CRAFT CONDITIONS WILL BE POSSIBLE FRIDAY AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY
EVENING.

SLY FLOW CONTINUES INTO FRIDAY EVENING BEFORE VEERING WLY. CONTINUED
SCA UNTIL 8PM FRIDAY. WLY FLOW BELOW SCA CRIT THEN SAT/SUN AS HIGH
PRESSURE BUILDS. HIGH PRESSURE OVERHEAD/TRANQUIL MONDAY THROUGH THE
MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK.

&&

.TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
ANOMALIES AOA 1 FT ABV NRML ACRS POTOMAC SHORES...SO RAISED ADZY
FOR THESE LOCATIONS. PREV DISCUSSION FOLLOWS...

INCREASING SOUTHERLY FLOW AND CHANNELING AIDING IN POSITIVE TIDAL
ANOMALIES MAINLY OVER THE WESTERN CHESAPEAKE BAY. COASTAL FLOOD
ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FROM CALVERT NORTH TO HARFORD FOR TIDE
RISES ABOUT ONE FOOT ABOVE ASTRONOMICAL PREDICTION FOR THE NEXT
CYCLE. TIDES WILL RECEDE OVERNIGHT AS THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH.

&&

.LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
DC...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 2 AM EDT FRIDAY FOR DCZ001.
MD...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 2 AM EDT FRIDAY FOR MDZ007-011-
     013-014-018.
VA...COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY UNTIL 2 AM EDT FRIDAY FOR VAZ054.
WV...NONE.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 AM EDT FRIDAY FOR ANZ530>534-
     536>543.
     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM NOON TO 6 PM EDT FRIDAY FOR
     ANZ530>532-535-536-538>540-542.
     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM NOON TO 8 PM EDT FRIDAY FOR ANZ533-
     534-537-541-543.
     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT TONIGHT FOR ANZ535.

&&

SYNOPSIS...BAJ/KONARIK
NEAR TERM...KONARIK/KRW
SHORT TERM...BAJ
LONG TERM...BAJ
AVIATION...BAJ/KONARIK/KRW
MARINE...BAJ/KONARIK/KRW
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...KONARIK/KRW
Hazardous weather outlook, Oct 18, 9:44 PM EDT, 11 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <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>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

In the hours before

Local storm report, Oct 18, 9:42 PM EDT, 13 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <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>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Special weather statement, Oct 18, 9:51 PM EDT, 4 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <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>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Local storm report, Oct 18, 9:52 PM EDT, 3 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <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>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Special weather statement, Oct 18, 9:52 PM EDT, 3 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <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>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Local storm report, Oct 18, 9:53 PM EDT, 2 minutes before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <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>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>
Local storm report, Oct 18, 9:54 PM EDT, 1 minute before
<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>Service Notice</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="index.css">
</head>
<body>
  <main class="wrap">
    <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>
      <p id="message1">
        The site you requested is temporarily down for maintenance or an unexpected outage.
      </p>
      <p id="message2">
        Please try again in a few minutes.
      </p>
      <p class="small" id="detail">
        If you are an administrator, restore upstream service and remove the redirect/fallback rule when normal operations resume.
      </p>
    </section>
  </main>
  <script src="index.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Oct 18, 8:45 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXRockingham30 min
Oct 18, 8:53 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXPage, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Warren52 min
Oct 18, 9:17 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXFrederick, City of Winchester28 min
Oct 18, 9:21 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXClarke, Frederick, Shenandoah, Warren, City of Winchester39 min
Oct 18, 9:26 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXMadison, Rappahannock34 min
Oct 18, 9:40 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXRockingham, Shenandoah35 min
Oct 18, 9:41 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXClarke, Fauquier, Loudoun, Page, Rappahannock, Shenandoah and 1 more26 min
Oct 18, 10:08 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXFauquier, Loudoun37 min
Oct 18, 10:09 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXAlbemarle, City of Charlottesville36 min
Oct 18, 10:25 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXOrange35 min
Oct 18, 10:27 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXLoudoun37 min
Oct 18, 10:43 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXLoudoun32 min
Oct 18, 10:49 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXOrange26 min
Oct 18, 11:10 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXOrange35 min
Oct 18, 11:16 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXCulpeper, Madison, Orange29 min
Oct 18, 11:19 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXFauquier26 min
Oct 18, 11:38 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXAlbemarle, City of Charlottesville37 min
Oct 18, 11:44 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXCulpeper31 min
Oct 19, 12:04 AM EDTSmall Craft AdvisoryLWX3 hr
Oct 19, 12:12 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXPrince William, City of Manassas33 min
Oct 19, 12:49 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXArlington, Fairfax, City of Fairfax, City of Falls Church, City of Manassas Park41 min
Oct 19, 12:56 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX47 min
Oct 19, 3:12 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXSpotsylvania33 min
Oct 19, 8:14 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX26 min
Oct 19, 2:06 PM EDTSmall Craft AdvisoryLWX11 hr
Oct 19, 3:29 PM EDTCoastal Flood AdvisoryLWXArlington, City of Alexandria, City of Falls Church11 hr
Oct 19, 5:13 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXArlington, Fairfax, City of Alexandria, City of Falls Church32 min
Oct 19, 5:14 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX91 min
Oct 19, 5:48 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXArlington, Fairfax, City of Alexandria, City of Falls Church57 min
Oct 19, 5:53 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX97 min
Oct 19, 6:31 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX89 min
Oct 19, 6:50 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXArlington, City of Alexandria55 min
Oct 19, 7:59 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX91 min
Oct 18, 9:23 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXFrederick37 min
Oct 18, 9:51 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXFrederick24 min
Oct 18, 9:52 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXWashington38 min
Oct 18, 10:30 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXCarroll30 min
Oct 18, 10:53 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXCarroll37 min
Oct 18, 11:20 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXHoward, Montgomery25 min
Oct 19, 1:29 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXBaltimore, Howard, City of Baltimore46 min
Oct 19, 2:11 AM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXHarford34 min
Oct 19, 6:27 PM EDTTornado WarningLWXBaltimore33 min
Oct 19, 6:52 PM EDTTornado WarningLWXBaltimore, Harford38 min
Oct 18, 9:31 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXMorgan29 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Maryland, 2012Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2012

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.