Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, May 12, 1993

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, May 12, 1993
Start: 1993-05-12T15:25
End: 1993-05-12T18:30
Location: Virginia

May 12, 1993 · 12 events in 11 counties and zones

8 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 12 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $64,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 12

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 131 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:24 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Rockingham

When: May 12, 3:25 PM EST
Where: Rockingham County, Harrisonburg
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 38.512, -78.876 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Loudoun

When: May 12, 3:45 PM EST
Where: Loudoun County, Lovettsville
Measured: 1 in hail
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 39.091, -77.636 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Page

When: May 12, 3:50 PM EST
Where: Page County
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 38.620, -78.484 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Shenandoah

When: May 12, 4:00 PM EST
Where: Shenandoah County
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 38.858, -78.571 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Fauquier

When: May 12, 4:25 PM EST
Where: Fauquier County
Measured: 1 in hail
Coordinates: 38.739, -77.809 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Fauquier

When: May 12, 4:40 PM EST
Where: Fauquier County
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 38.739, -77.809 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Prince William

When: May 12, 4:50 PM EST
Where: Prince William County
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 38.702, -77.478 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Fairfax

When: May 12, 5:18 PM EST
Where: Fairfax County
Property damage: $5,000
Coordinates: 38.835, -77.276 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Arlington

When: May 12, 5:35 PM EST
Where: Arlington County, Fairfax City to Alexandria
Property damage: $50,000
Coordinates: 38.879, -77.101 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Spotsylvania

When: May 12, 5:47 PM EST
Where: Spotsylvania County
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 38.185, -77.656 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Thunderstorm Wind, Louisa

When: May 12, 5:50 PM EST
Where: Louisa County
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 37.978, -77.963 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Hail, Halifax

When: May 12, 6:30 PM EST
Where: Halifax County
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Property damage: $500
Coordinates: 36.767, -78.937 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Severe thunderstorms were widespread across the northern two-thirds of the state during the afternoon and early evening hours. The thunderstorms produced widespread wind damage and large hail. Three-quarter inch sized hail covered the ground in Harrisonburg. Trees were blown down near the towns of Shenandoah, Luray, and Mount Jackson. Trees and power lines were knocked down in many locations in northern Virginia including in the cities of Fairfax, Falls Church and Alexandria. In Fauquier County, so much 3/4 to 1 inch sized-hail fell between Marshall and Warrenton, that it covered the ground. Thunderstorm winds tore the siding off of a house and downed trees in Warrenton. Numerous trees and power lines were knocked down in the Southern part of Spotsylvania County and throughout Louisa County. Three-quarter inch-sized hail was reported in several places in northern Halifax County.

What these are

Hail: Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Thunderstorm Wind: Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Virginia in 1993 Every state in 1993 This day in weather history Warnings in Virginia, May 1993

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 10356097, 10356581, 10356653, 10356297, 10356842, 10356843, 10356346, 10356753, 10356793, 10356332, 10356615, 10356518.