Alert archive / Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2013

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 39, NWS Baltimore/Washington

May 22, 20134 counties in Virginia

NWS Baltimore/Washington issued this severe thunderstorm warning at May 22, 2013, 7:58 PM EDT for 4 counties in Virginia. It was in force for 62 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 22, 2013, 7:58 PM EDT (23:58 UTC)
Expired
May 22, 2013, 9:00 PM EDT
In force
62 min
Issued by
NWS Baltimore/Washington
Area
Storm-based polygon

Counties Frederick County, VA, Page County, VA, Shenandoah County, VA, Warren County, VA

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 78 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 00:00 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 12:00Z, 12.0 hours before the alert went out and 85 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 2013-05-22Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 221 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 2013-05-22The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity -40 square meters per square second.1939Sfc1 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
221 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-207 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1479 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
9 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
-40 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
6 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.0

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 May 22, 3:20 PM EDT, 4 hours 38 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, May 22, 3:20 PM EDT, 4 hours 38 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
320 PM EDT WED MAY 22 2013

.SYNOPSIS...
HIGH PRESSURE PERSISTING OVER THE ATLANTIC WITH WARM AND HUMID
CONDITIONS UNTIL A COLD FRONT THURSDAY NIGHT. AN UPPER TROUGH
WILL LINGER OVER THE AREA FRIDAY WITH HIGH PRESSURE BUILDING
THROUGH SATURDAY. A FRONTAL BOUNDARY STALLS OUT ACROSS THE MID-
ATLANTIC SUNDAY NIGHT THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...

HIPRES REMAINS IN THE WRN ATLC WHILE LOPRES RESIDES OVER THE
GRTLKS. SLY FLOW ACRS MID ATLC STATES CREATING A WARM UNSTBL AMS.
TSRA DVLPG ALONG THE WVA APLCHNS...WHERE DEWPTS HIER AND TEMPS
ALOFT A PINCH COOLER. OROGRAPHIC UPLIFT ALSO ASSISTING IN TSTM
DVLPMNT. THIS INITIATION IN LINE W/ WHAT MESOSCALE GDNC HAS
SUGGESTED. NOW THAT THE CAP HAS BEEN BROKEN...THERE/S PLENTY OF
INSTBY TO FEED OFF OF...BUT FEATURES FOR ORGANIZATION SLIGHTLY
LACKING. STILL DO NEED TO MONITOR THE UPR OHVLY WHERE HGTS LWR AS
THIS AREA RIPE FOR DVLPMNT. THAT POSES A SITUATION WHERE THESE
STORMS MAY PROPAGATE INTO AREA. AM KEEPING A LINEUP WHERE LKLY
POPS CONFINED TO THE MTNS AND CHC/SCHC ALONG I-95. THERE IS A
THREAT FOR LOCALLY DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE HAIL IN ANY
THUNDERSTORMS THAT DO DEVELOP DUE TO THE HIGH INSTABILITY.

CONVECTION WILL LIKELY DISSIPATE LATER THIS EVENING DUE TO THE LOSS
OF DAYTIME HEATING. HOWEVER...AN UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCE IS EXPECTED
TO PASS THROUGH THE REGION LATE TONIGHT AS THE UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH
CONTINUES TO SLIDE CLOSER TO OUR AREA. PLENTY OF MOISTURE AND
FORCING FROM THE UPPER-LEVEL DISTURBANCE MAY RESULT IN SCATTERED
SHOWERS/T-STORMS TOWARD MORNING. RAISED APLCHNS TO LKLY. MIN TEMPS
TONIGHT WILL RANGE FROM THE 50S IN THE MOUNTAINS TO THE LOWER AND
MIDDLE 70S IN DOWNTOWN WASHINGTON/BALTIMORE.

&&

.SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
HGTS CONT TO DROP THU AS CDFNT APPROACHES. ALTHO INSTBY WL BE
LWR...SHEAR WL BE GREATER. THERE MAY BE TWO ROUNDS OF WX...FIRST
COMING MIDDAY WITH THE DISTURBANCE AND RIBBON OF INSTBY...AND THEN
SECOND NEARER THE CDFNT AND DIURNAL HEATING. HV RAISED POPS INTO
THE DEF RANGE RATHER QUICKLY...AND HOLDING IT THERE THRUT THE DAY.

CFP THU NGT. WL SCALE BACK POPS AND TRANSITION FM TSRA TO SHRA IN
THE EVNG. AFTER FROPA...ONLY LINGERING SHRA WL REMAIN.

FRIDAY...UPR TROUGH DRIFTS EAST OVER THE AREA WITH BACK EDGE OF
CLOUDS SLOW TO COME IN THE AFTERNOON. GUSTY NWLY FLOW FRIDAY
CONTINUES AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS THROUGH SATURDAY.

&&

.LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
SHORTWAVE FROM TN VLY ON SUNDAY NOW LOOKS TO EXPAND EAST ACROSS THE
SOUTHERN-CENTRAL MID-ATLANTIC. CONVERGENCE ALONG THIS BOUNDARY WOULD
SET OFF SHOWERS. PATTERN IS STALLED INTO MID NEXT WEEK...SO A
PROLONGED CLOUDY/RAINY PERIOD IS POSSIBLE. THIS WOULD RESULT IN
BELOW NORMAL TEMPS.

&&

.AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS DVLPG...BUT STAYING W OF THE TERMINALS
ATTM. CONCERNED THAT THESE STORMS MAY DRIFT CLOSER...SPCLY FOR
CHO/MRB. HV VCTS IN ALL TAFS FOR THE EVNG DUE TO INSTBY PRESENT...
WHICH MAY LEAD TO ADDTL STORMS DVLPG. SOME OF THE THUNDERSTORMS
WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS AND LARGE HAIL.

WL HV A RESPITE LT EVNG AS DIURNAL COMPONENT LOST. HWVR...ANOTHER
DISTURBANCE WL BE MOVING IN TWD MRNG...LEADING TO POTENTIALLY
ANTHR ROUND OF TSTMS. IFR CONDS POSSIBLE IN THE HEAVIEST ACTIVITY.
THREAT FOR STORMS CONT TIL CFP THURSDAY NIGHT. NWLY FLOW WITH
GUSTS 25 TO POSSIBLY 30 KT WITH MID LEVEL CIGS FRIDAY. NWLY FLOW
CONTINUES THROUGH SATURDAY AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS.

&&

.MARINE...
HIGH PRESSURE WILL REMAIN OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN THROUGH TONIGHT. A
SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL CONTINUE OVER THE WATERS DURING THIS TIME. A
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE WATERS
THROUGH TONIGHT. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE
LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ANY THUNDERSTORMS THAT DO
DEVELOP WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL.

SLY FLOW AHEAD OF A LATE THURSDAY NIGHT COLD FRONT. SCA EXPANDED
THROUGH THURSDAY. EXPECT AN EXTENSION THURSDAY NIGHT FOR PREFRONTAL
SLY FLOW...THEN NWLY FLOW AROUND 25 KT FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY AS
HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS.

&&

.TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
A SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL CONTINUE OVER THE WATERS THROUGH THURSDAY
NIGHT...BUT THE FLOW MAY REMAIN JUST WEST OF SOUTH. TIDAL ANOMALIES
WILL LIKELY INCREASE A LITTLE...BUT WITH THE FLOW REMAINING WEST OF
SOUTH THE WATER LEVELS SHOULD REMAIN BELOW THRESHOLDS FOR MINOR
COASTAL FLOODING. THE CLOSEST WATER LEVELS WILL COME TO MINOR
FLOODING THRESHOLDS WILL BE DURING THE HIGH TIDE CYCLE LATE WEDNESDAY
NIGHT AND LATE THURSDAY NIGHT...THE HIGHER OF THE TWO HIGH TIDES.
TIDAL ANOMALIES WILL DECREASE FRIDAY BEHIND A COLD FRONT.

&&

.LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
DC...NONE.
MD...NONE.
VA...NONE.
WV...NONE.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 PM EDT
     THURSDAY FOR ANZ530-531-539.
     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 9 AM TO 6 PM EDT THURSDAY FOR ANZ535-
     538.
     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EDT THURSDAY FOR ANZ532-536-
     540-542.
     SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EDT THURSDAY FOR ANZ533-534-
     537-541-543.

&&
Hazardous weather outlook, May 22, 5:02 PM EDT, 2 hours 56 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
502 PM EDT WED MAY 22 2013

ANZ530>543-DCZ001-MDZ006-007-011-013-014-016>018-VAZ052>057-
231015-
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-
502 PM EDT WED MAY 22 2013

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...TONIGHT

A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR PORTIONS OF THE MARYLAND
CHESAPEAKE BAY AND LOWER TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER THROUGH TONIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE WATERS THURSDAY. A
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MAY BE NEEDED THURSDAY NIGHT AND IS LIKELY
FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY.

THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE LOCALLY DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE
HAIL THURSDAY.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AND
AGAIN THURSDAY.

MDZ003>005-009-010-501-502-VAZ025>031-036>040-042-050-051-501>504-
WVZ050>053-055-501>506-231015-
WASHINGTON-FREDERICK MD-CARROLL-MONTGOMERY-HOWARD-
EXTREME WESTERN ALLEGANY-CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALLEGANY-AUGUSTA-
ROCKINGHAM-SHENANDOAH-FREDERICK VA-PAGE-WARREN-CLARKE-NELSON-
ALBEMARLE-GREENE-MADISON-RAPPAHANNOCK-LOUDOUN-ORANGE-CULPEPER-
NORTHERN FAUQUIER-SOUTHERN FAUQUIER-WESTERN HIGHLAND-
EASTERN HIGHLAND-HAMPSHIRE-MORGAN-BERKELEY-JEFFERSON-HARDY-
WESTERN GRANT-EASTERN GRANT-WESTERN MINERAL-EASTERN MINERAL-
WESTERN PENDLETON-EASTERN PENDLETON-
502 PM EDT WED MAY 22 2013

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...TONIGHT

SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THROUGH THIS EVENING. THUNDERSTORMS
WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING LOCALLY DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE
HAIL ESPECIALLY TO THE WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS. HEAVY
DOWNPOURS MAY CAUSE LOCALIZED FLOODING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY

THUNDERSTORMS MAY PRODUCE LOCALLY DAMAGING WIND GUSTS AND LARGE
HAIL THURSDAY...ESPECIALLY EAST FROM THE BLUE RIDGE.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...AND
AGAIN THURSDAY.

In the hours before

Local storm report, May 22, 4:28 PM EDT, 3 hours 30 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
428 PM EDT WED MAY 22 2013

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

0343 PM     TSTM WND DMG     3 WNW ANTIOCH           39.34N  79.07W
05/22/2013                   MINERAL            WV   911 CALL CENTER

            TREE DOWN AT THE INTERSECTION OF RTE 50 AND 93

&&

EVENT NUMBER LWX1300178

HTS
Local storm report, May 22, 4:38 PM EDT, 3 hours 20 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
438 PM EDT WED MAY 22 2013

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

0245 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 S ROMNEY              39.33N  78.76W
05/22/2013                   HAMPSHIRE          WV   TRAINED SPOTTER

            TREE DOWN ALONG WOODLAND WAY SOUTH OF HIGHWAY 50.

&&

EVENT NUMBER LWX1300179

SDG
Local storm report, May 22, 5:47 PM EDT, 2 hours 11 minutes before
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
547 PM EDT WED MAY 22 2013

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

0540 PM     TSTM WND DMG     1 NNW CEDAR HILL        39.29N  78.12W
05/22/2013                   FREDERICK          VA   TRAINED SPOTTER

            SEVERAL 4-5 INCH DIAMETER TREE LIMBS DOWN

&&

EVENT NUMBER LWX1300180

MEADOWS
Local storm report, May 22, 6:01 PM EDT, 1 hour 57 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 22, 7:40 PM EDT, 18 minutes before
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Local storm report, May 22, 7:58 PM EDT, 0 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
May 22, 3:44 AM EDTSmall Craft AdvisoryLWX42 hr
May 22, 2:38 PM EDTAreal Flood AdvisoryLWXRockingham3 hr
May 22, 3:06 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningLWXRockingham3 hr
May 22, 3:32 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXRockingham, Shenandoah58 min
May 22, 4:29 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXFrederick, Shenandoah, City of Winchester61 min
May 22, 5:07 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXFrederick38 min
May 22, 5:16 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningLWXFrederick, Shenandoah3 hr
May 22, 5:34 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXFrederick, City of Winchester71 min
May 22, 6:23 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXClarke, Loudoun37 min
May 22, 6:44 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningLWXRockingham3 hr
May 22, 6:45 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXAugusta, Rockingham, City of Harrisonburg45 min
May 22, 7:28 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXPage, Rockingham, Shenandoah62 min
May 22, 5:25 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXWashington50 min
May 22, 2:08 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXHardy67 min
May 22, 2:15 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXGrant, Hampshire, Hardy60 min
May 22, 2:24 PM EDTSpecial Weather StatementLWXGrant66 min
May 22, 3:34 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXGrant, Mineral41 min

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Virginia, 2013Every severe thunderstorm warning in 2013

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.