Alert archive / West Virginia / Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in 2020

Severe Thunderstorm Warning 91, NWS Baltimore/Washington

June 5, 2020Loudoun County, Virginia; Washington County, Maryland; Berkeley County, Jefferson County, West Virginia

NWS Baltimore/Washington issued this severe thunderstorm warning at Jun 5, 2020, 2:20 PM EDT for Loudoun County, Virginia; Washington County, Maryland; Berkeley County, Jefferson County, West Virginia. It was in force for 27 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
Jun 5, 2020, 2:20 PM EDT (18:20 UTC)
Expired
Jun 5, 2020, 2:47 PM EDT
In force
27 min
Issued by
NWS Baltimore/Washington
Area
Storm-based polygon
Hail
1.0 in
Wind
60.0 mph

Counties Washington County, MD, Loudoun County, VA, Berkeley County, WV, Jefferson County, WV

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 53 km from the middle of the area, began a volume at 18:20 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, 6.3 hours before the alert went out and 60 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 2020-06-05Temperature and dew point through the depth of the atmosphere, with the mixed-layer parcel. CAPE 126 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 2020-06-05The wind through the lowest 10 kilometers. Zero to 1 km storm-relative helicity 85 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
126 J/kg
Mixed-layer CIN
-105 J/kg
Mixed-layer LCL
717 m above ground
0-6 km bulk shear
23 kt
0-1 km storm-relative helicity
85 m²/s²
0-3 km storm-relative helicity
129 m²/s²
Significant tornado parameter
0.0
Supercell composite
0.1

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 Jun 5, 10:43 AM EDT, 3 hours 37 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 5, 10:43 AM EDT, 3 hours 37 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion...UPDATED
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
1043 AM EDT Fri Jun 5 2020

.SYNOPSIS...
An upper level disturbance will linger over the region today. It
will move away tonight. A strong cold front will cross the
region on Saturday. Canadian high pressure will then build
across the region Sunday through early next week.

&&

.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...

Low amplitude trough over the OH Valley will progress east
crossing the area late this afternoon and exiting the
Chesapeake Bay by 06Z tonight if not sooner. As this trough
interacts with moisture laden atmosphere, showers and
thunderstorms, some with very heavy rainfall, will develop.
Environment today is a lot more conducive to flash flooding with
half inch precipitable water values higher than 24 hrs ago,
slower 0-6km mean storm motions and MBE velocity vectors, high
K indices, and no dry air present in the 12Z IAD sounding.
Timing looks to be earlier today by a couple of hours and
earlier ending time. Flash Flood Watch was expanded northwest to
add Washington Co. and more WV counties.

Late tonight, the trough passes east, and we should become very
quiet (drier and quieter than this current overnight has been).
However, it will remain soupy, with lows in the 60s to near 70.

&&

.SHORT TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/...
Canadian cold front pushes southeast across the region on
Saturday, followed by cooler and drier air associated with
Canadian high pressure on Sunday. Upper level forcing lags
behidn the front on Saturday and westerly flow should develop
ahead of it. Thus, we are not impressed with convective coverage
Saturday, but some storms may develop later in the day, most
likely south of the DC metro area. These storms could pose a
severe risk, but should be moving right along, so the flooding
risk looks reduced. Highs Saturday should be a little warmer
than today with greater sunshine and westerly downslope flow,
but not much.

Saturday night through Sunday night, the Canadian high pressure
builds in, with much drier and somewhat cooler air. Lows
Saturday night will be in the 50s and low 60s, with 50s almost
everywhere on Sunday night. Highs Sunday will be near 80, and
dew points will be much lower, 25-30 degrees lower than today.

&&

.LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
Medium range guidance remains in very good agreement with
synoptic scale features through much of the long term period,
though there is still uncertainty surrounding the details of an
approaching trough by the middle of next week.

Deep layer ridging will build over region from the west Monday
into Tuesday of next week. leading to a warming trend of
temperatures. As the ridge axis moves offshore, return flow will
lead to an increase in humidity and continued warming
temperatures during the middle of next week.

A large upper trough will pivot across the Plains and Midwest
by the middle of next week, absorbing part or all of the
remnants of Cristobal before heading generally northeastward.
Precip chances will increase by next Wednesday-Thursday, but the
magnitude will depend on finer scale/track details still not
readily apparent at this time range.

&&

.AVIATION /15Z FRIDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/...
Main concern will be t-storms which should develop by midday
and cross the region through early evening. After that, VFR
returns, though patchy fog is again possible later tonight.
Lesser risk of storms on Saturday, though an isolated one can't
be ruled out. VFR with high pressure Saturday night through
Sunday night.

Mainly VFR Mon-Tue.

&&

.MARINE...
Marginal SCA expected today with southerly channeling ahead of a
weak disturbance on the west side of Bermuda high pressure.
Otherwise, main concern will be another round of storms in the
afternoon and early evening. Storms die out late tonight, though
a few more are possible Saturday, mainly down towards the middle
bay and lower Potomac. SCA may develop behind a passing cold
front as well during the afternoon and evening, and it could
continue into Sunday as high pressure builds in.

Generally light flow early next week under high pressure,
though S flow may start increasing Tuesday.

&&

.LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
DC...Flash Flood Watch through this evening for DCZ001.
MD...Flash Flood Watch through this evening for MDZ003>006-011-013-
     014-016-503>508.
VA...Flash Flood Watch through this evening for VAZ025>031-036>040-
     050>056-501>508.
WV...Flash Flood Watch through this evening for WVZ050>053-055-505-
     506.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory until 8 PM EDT this evening for
     ANZ531>534-536-537-539>543.

&&

SYNOPSIS...RCM
NEAR TERM...LFR
SHORT TERM...RCM
LONG TERM...DHOF
AVIATION...LFR/DHOF
MARINE...LFR/DHOF
Hazardous weather outlook, Jun 5, 8:03 AM EDT, 6 hours 17 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
803 AM EDT Fri Jun 5 2020

ANZ530>543-DCZ001-MDZ011-013-014-016>018-508-VAZ052>057-061000-
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-Southern Baltimore-Prince Georges-
Anne Arundel-Charles-St. Marys-Calvert-Southeast Harford-
Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park-Fairfax-
Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria-Stafford-Spotsylvania-
King George-
803 AM EDT Fri Jun 5 2020

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...Today and Tonight

A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for portions of Maryland,
Virginia and the District of Columbia this afternoon and evening.
Scattered instances of flooding are possible due to heavy rain
from thunderstorms. Isolated instances of damaging wind gusts are
also possible.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotters activation may be needed this afternoon and evening.

MDZ003>006-501>507-VAZ025>031-036>040-050-051-501>508-WVZ050>053-
055-501>506-061000-
Washington-Frederick MD-Carroll-Northern Baltimore-
Extreme Western Allegany-Central and Eastern Allegany-
Northwest Montgomery-Central and Southeast Montgomery-
Northwest Howard-Central and Southeast Howard-Northwest Harford-
Augusta-Rockingham-Shenandoah-Frederick VA-Page-Warren-Clarke-
Nelson-Albemarle-Greene-Madison-Rappahannock-Orange-Culpeper-
Northern Fauquier-Southern Fauquier-Western Highland-
Eastern Highland-Western Loudoun-Eastern Loudoun-
Northern Virginia Blue Ridge-Central Virginia Blue Ridge-
Hampshire-Morgan-Berkeley-Jefferson-Hardy-Western Grant-
Eastern Grant-Western Mineral-Eastern Mineral-Western Pendleton-
Eastern Pendleton-
803 AM EDT Fri Jun 5 2020

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...Today and Tonight

A Flash Flood Watch is in effect for portions of Maryland,
Virginia and West Virginia this afternoon and evening. Scattered
instances of flooding are possible due to heavy rain from
thunderstorms. Isolated instances of damaging wind gusts are also
possible.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Saturday through Thursday

No hazardous weather is expected at this time.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

Spotter activation may be needed this afternoon and evening.

In the hours before

Local storm report, Jun 5, 9:25 AM EDT, 4 hours 55 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jun 5, 9:29 AM EDT, 4 hours 51 minutes before
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The office that day

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

IssuedProductOfficeCountiesLasted
Jun 4, 8:01 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXArlington, Fairfax, City of Alexandria44 min
Jun 4, 8:24 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX96 min
Jun 4, 8:27 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX33 min
Jun 4, 8:38 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX97 min
Jun 4, 10:10 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXLoudoun25 min
Jun 4, 10:34 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX41 min
Jun 4, 10:44 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXPage, Rockingham, Shenandoah6 hr
Jun 4, 10:51 PM EDTFlash Flood WatchLWXArlington, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fauquier, Greene, Loudoun and 11 more4 hr
Jun 4, 11:27 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXArlington, Fairfax, Prince William, City of Alexandria, City of Fairfax, City of Falls Church and 2 more6 hr
Jun 5, 3:40 AM EDTFlash Flood WatchLWXAlbemarle, Amherst, Arlington, Augusta, Clarke, Culpeper and 27 more17 hr
Jun 5, 5:34 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXFairfax2 hr
Jun 5, 2:21 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX33 min
Jun 5, 3:18 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXClarke, Frederick, City of Winchester116 min
Jun 5, 3:19 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXMadison, Page, Rockingham, Shenandoah41 min
Jun 5, 5:59 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX72 min
Jun 5, 6:37 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX38 min
Jun 5, 6:53 PM EDTSpecial Marine WarningLWX41 min
Jun 4, 8:50 PM EDTSevere Thunderstorm WarningLWXAnne Arundel, Calvert, Prince George's40 min
Jun 5, 1:12 AM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXAnne Arundel, Prince George's3 hr
Jun 5, 3:38 AM EDTCoastal Flood AdvisoryLWXAnne Arundel5 hr
Jun 5, 4:21 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXBaltimore, Harford13 hr
Jun 5, 4:28 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXCarroll, Frederick, Howard, Montgomery4 hr
Jun 5, 4:47 PM EDTFlash Flood Warning Considerable damage threatLWXBaltimore, Harford3 hr
Jun 5, 6:15 PM EDTAreal Flood WarningLWXMontgomery3 hr

Nearby

Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in West Virginia, 2020Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Virginia, 2020Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in Maryland, 2020Every severe thunderstorm 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.