Tornadoes and Hail in Maryland, May 18, 1995

A line of severe thunderstorms moved through the district during the afternoon of the 18th. Several trees were down on Beach Drive in NW D.C., and numerous others were reported down in the Federal sector (downtown). Other widespread tree damage was noted near Gallaudet University just south of New York Avenue (federal highway 50).

A small tornado uprooted dozens of trees at the National Arboretum, just west of the Anacostia River. No personal property damage was reported. Immediately east, a large oak was uprooted, and several tree tops were snapped off.

Thunderstorm winds blew several trees down along the CSX railroad tracks and along federal highway 50 near Cheverly. Other trees and power lines were knocked down in Oxon Hill. Pepco reported 14,000 customers without power during the peak of the storm in the central and southern portions of the county.

A small tornado, embedded within a larger macroburst, caused substantial damage to three businesses in Cheverly on Tuxedo and Arbor Roads. Two persons were injured at the scene. Jim's Air Compressor, an air conditioning and construction equipment rental company, sustained the most damage. The building's cinder block north wall was totally destroyed, and half of its sheet-metal roof was shredded, with several pieces found wrapped around trees and telephone poles. A nearby contracting company had one-quarter of its east-facing sheet metal wall destroyed. A third building, located two down from Jim's Air Compressor, had a 10- to 15-foot section of it's east-facing cinder block wall blown out, and much of the debris buried a nearby automobile. Two nearby homes sustained damage as well. One home had an eight foot section torn from the roof and top floor; another had minor but extensive roof damage. Two persons sustained minor injuries. A customer was hurt by an airborne brick, as was the driver of a pickup truck which was crushed by flying debris.

Dime-size hail was reported in Bowie.

In Harwood and Pasadena, several trees and power lines were reported down from the same storms that ravaged Prince George's county and northern Virginia. Another tree fell onto a car near the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis. Baltimore Gas and Electric noted 5,400 persons without power countywide.

A wind gust to 87 mph was measured at Saint Michael's.

Trees down in Hurlock, Eldorado, and Sharptown areas.

A strong (F2) tornado touched down along the eastern shore of Chesapeake Bay just south of Cordova in the Kittys Corner area at 1430 EST. The tornado destroyed two homes and damaged about ten other structures, mostly in the Cordova area. In the Cordova area the tornado destroyed two chicken houses at the Dunmore Heath Farms and killed about 40,000 birds. The tornado blew a house 30 feet from its foundation. A two-story barn was twisted and destroyed. The roof of another barn was carried one mile and landed near the Fairview Church of the Brethren. The tornado tossed a car 30 feet and twisted trees and telephone poles along Chapel Road. The tornado proceeded through an unpopulated area of eastern Talbot and Southwest Caroline County. It crossed into Caroline County about four miles south of Hillsboro along the Tuckahoe Creek. The tornado lifted in Martinak State Park, just south of Denton. Before lifting, it snapped and twisted more than 100 trees in the park. Several persons within the park avoided injury by clinging to trees or hiding in phone booths. About 1,800 homes lost power in the two counties. No serious injuries were reported.

The same thunderstorm that produced a tornado south of Denton ripped siding from houses within Denton.