Alert archive / Maryland / Flash Flood Warnings in 2020

Flash Flood Warning 16, NWS Baltimore/Washington

July 7, 2020Calvert County, Saint Mary's County, Maryland

NWS Baltimore/Washington issued this flash flood warning at Jul 7, 2020, 12:10 AM EDT for Calvert County, Saint Mary's County, Maryland. It was in force for 4 hr. 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, 2020, 12:10 AM EDT (04:10 UTC)
Expired
Jul 7, 2020, 4:15 AM EDT
In force
4 hr
Issued by
NWS Baltimore/Washington
Area
Storm-based polygon
Damage threat
Considerable
Flood severity
None

Counties Calvert County, MD, Saint Mary's County, MD

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 107 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 04:13 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, 4.2 hours before the alert went out and 99 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 2020-07-07Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 1073 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 2020-07-07The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 8 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
1073 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-53 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
1674 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
25 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
8 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
46 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
1.2

Open this sounding in Storm Lab

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before this flash flood 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 flash flood warning went out at Jul 6, 9:33 PM EDT, 2 hours 37 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 6, 9:33 PM EDT, 2 hours 37 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
933 PM EDT Mon Jul 6 2020

.SYNOPSIS...
High pressure remains offshore through Wednesday, pumping warm and
humid air into the region, along with daily chances for showers and
thunderstorms. Cutoff low pressure will develop to the south on
Wednesday and it may impact the area later in the week.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/...
Headline update: Extended the Flash Flood Watch until midnight.
Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been trimmed to the east and is
still in effect until 11 PM.

Active area for the remainder of the evening will generally be
from Carroll County MD SSEward toward southern MD. Moist
unstable air continues to be advected into a quasi-airmass
boundary established by early widespread convection across the
Delmarva. With steering flow approximately to the southeast,
this is resulting in continued storm formation from south
central PA to Prince Georges County, where backbuilding is
occurring along another outflow boundary. These storms will
continue to propagate along the instability gradient. While
there's still enough instability for a severe storm or two, the
main hazard is shifting to flash flooding, and thus the watch
extension. Would not totally rule out significant flooding if
repetitive storms hit any sensitive urban areas, as noted in
recent WPC discussion. At this time, Baltimore looks more
susceptible based on radar compared to DC, but will have to
monitor storm evolution. Some recent CAM guidance suggests
storms may not completely dissipate until 2 or 3 AM.

Elsewhere, it's looking like the convective threat is rapidly
decreasing. Some patchy valley fog could develop again late.
Muggy conditions will persist with lows in the mid 60s to mid
70s.

&&

.SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/...
High pressure remains offshore through Wednesday, so the pattern
will remain much the same. Rinse and repeat forecast Tuesday and
Wednesday, with hot and humid conditions expected across the region.
High temperatures each day remain in the upper 80s to low 90s, with
dew points holding steady in the low 70s. This will result in heat
indices in the mid-upper 90s each day. While not quite expecting any
advisories at this time, still very hot and humid, so it will be
important to continue to take all proper heat precautions. Terrain
circulation and the bay/river breezes will bring a chance for
thunderstorms each day. With very little flow aloft however, storms
not expected to be as strong as we will see today. However,
instability will remain high given the high heat and humidity, and
conditions remain favorable for some localized downbursts, so can't
completely rule out a couple stronger storms either day. As we have
seen these past couple of days, the bay/river breezes and terrain
circulation can create some localized stronger shear and support an
isolated stronger storm.

&&

.LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
Guidance seems to be coalescing around the idea of a low pressure
developing along the coast to the south on Thursday and moving north
along the coast Friday into Saturday. This would cause showers and
perhaps some steadier rain and/or thunderstorms to spread north and
west from the low into southern and eastern parts of our forecast
area, but the track may keep northwestern areas fairly dry.
Temperatures will cool as this oddly non-summer like pattern
unfolds, with highs in the 80s, though lows would still be muggy
with readings staying in the high 60s and lower 70s overall. Will
need to watch for any focused rain bands or convection which could
result in flooding. By Sunday, the low is more likely off to our
north and east, but a cold front may be approaching or passing
through from the northwest by this point, which could result in
more showers and storms. Bottom line is the entire long term looks
rather active, but with temps staying closer to normal.

&&

.AVIATION /01Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
Thunderstorm threat will persist near BWI and especially at MTN
for several more hours, possibly as late as 2 AM or so, but
threat area will likely shift with time. Amendments will likely
be required. Transitioning more to a heavy rain threat versus
gusty winds though. Have added some low clouds late
tonight/Tuesday morning per increasing consensus in latest
guidance, though some uncertainty exists. Could also be some fog
at MRB/CHO, but have kept at MVFR for now.

VFR conditions and light winds are generally expected through
Wednesday. Hot and humid conditions continue, with daily chances for
thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening. Gusty winds and
heavy rain can be expected with any thunderstorm in this
environment.

Main concern Thursday and Friday will be potential for early
morning fog and afternoon thunderstorms.

&&

.MARINE...
Thunderstorms are causing gusty and erratic winds on the waters
this evening, with Special Marine Warnings remaining possible
for a few more hours. Outside of thunderstorms and their
outflow, winds will be light.

Isolated to scattered storms again expected each afternoon
Tuesday and Wednesday, with continued light southerly flow.
Special Marine Warnings may be needed if storms get strong.

Mainly light winds on the waters Thursday and Friday, with the
primary hazard being potential for afternoon thunderstorms both days.

&&

.TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
Tidal anomalies, while still elevated to an extent, have come
down slightly today. Forecast has come down a bit in this cycle,
and no longer anticipating flooding anywhere. However, slight
changes in the winds could easily bump up anomalies just enough
to get us near minor in the more sensitive areas, so will have
to keep watching that in future forecast cycles. Tides still
remain in the caution stage during high tide for most areas over
the next several days in the continued southerly flow.

&&

.LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
DC...Flash Flood Watch until midnight EDT tonight for DCZ001.
MD...Flash Flood Watch until midnight EDT tonight for MDZ006-011-
     013-014-504-506>508.
VA...Flash Flood Watch until midnight EDT tonight for VAZ053-054.
WV...None.
MARINE...None.

&&

SYNOPSIS...CJL
NEAR TERM...ADS
SHORT TERM...CJL
LONG TERM...RCM
AVIATION...ADS/RCM/CJL
MARINE...ADS/RCM/KJP
TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...CJL
Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 6, 11:49 PM EDT, 21 minutes before
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In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 6, 11:42 PM EDT, 28 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 6, 11:44 PM EDT, 26 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 6, 11:49 PM EDT, 21 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 6, 11:54 PM EDT, 16 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 6, 11:58 PM EDT, 12 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 7, 12:08 AM EDT, 2 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jul 6, 8:44 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX61 min
Jul 6, 8:44 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXFairfax46 min
Jul 6, 9:08 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX2 hr
Jul 6, 11:03 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX117 min
Jul 6, 11:17 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX88 min
Jul 6, 11:33 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX87 min
Jul 6, 11:39 PM EDTSmall Craft AdvisoryLWX3 hr
Jul 7, 12:32 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX88 min
Jul 7, 12:58 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX47 min
Jul 7, 1:29 AM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX46 min
Jul 7, 2:11 AM EDTFlash Flood WarningLWXArlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, City of Alexandria, City of Fairfax, City of Falls Church3 hr
Jul 7, 3:10 PM EDTSmall Craft AdvisoryLWX10 hr
Jul 7, 4:58 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX30 min
Jul 7, 5:00 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX28 min
Jul 6, 8:03 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXPrince George's27 min
Jul 6, 8:26 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningLWXPrince George's7 hr
Jul 6, 9:04 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXBaltimore, Carroll40 min
Jul 6, 9:16 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXPrince George's44 min
Jul 6, 9:32 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningLWXBaltimore4 hr
Jul 6, 9:49 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningLWXBaltimore80 min
Jul 6, 10:14 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXCalvert, Charles, Prince George's, Saint Mary's46 min
Jul 6, 10:50 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningLWXCalvert, Charles, Prince George's, Saint Mary's4 hr
Jul 6, 10:54 PM EDTFlash Flood WarningLWXPrince George's4 hr
Jul 6, 10:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXCalvert, Charles, Saint Mary's34 min
Jul 7, 2:44 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXAnne Arundel, Calvert, Charles, Prince George's, Saint Mary's6 hr
Jul 7, 3:32 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXPrince George's18 hr
Jul 7, 4:06 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXCalvert, Saint Mary's6 hr
Jul 7, 8:48 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXCalvert, Charles, Prince George's, Saint Mary's9 hr
Jul 7, 9:49 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXSaint Mary's6 hr
Jul 7, 4:49 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXAllegany41 min
Jul 7, 7:36 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXMontgomery114 min
Jul 7, 3:57 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXMineral23 min

Nearby

Flash Flood Warnings in Maryland, 2020Every flash flood warning in 2020

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.