Tornado in Maryland, July 13, 1996

Name: Tornado in Maryland, July 13, 1996
Start: 1996-07-13T00:45
End: 1996-07-13T00:47
Location: Maryland

July 13, 1996 · NWS LWX · 1 event in 1 county or zone

Tropical storm Bertha spawned three tornadoes along the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay during the early morning hours of the 13th. The first event occurred in subdivisions behind the Sans Souci shopping center in California, where 30 homes sustained minor to moderate damage - mainly siding, shutters, and shingles.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. 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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $100,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 1

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS LWX wrote it up.

Tropical storm Bertha spawned three tornadoes along the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay during the early morning hours of the 13th. The tornadoes were associated with the strongest feeder bands due north or northeast of the center of circulation, which was located in southeast Virginia at the time.The first event occurred in subdivisions behind the Sans Souci shopping center in California, where 30 homes sustained minor to moderate damage - mainly siding, shutters, and shingles. A few cyclone fences were blown down, with a portion of one residence's fence blown through another home's bedroom window. A roof was partially torn from a home, with some ceiling and deck damage. A shed reportedly was flipped onto an unoccupied automobile. Other cars were slightly damaged by fallen limbs. Approximately 20 trees were snapped, with at least one large tree uprooted.

The radar

The Dover AFB radar (KDOX), 109 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 05:46 UTC.

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Event by event

1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.

Tornado, St. Mary'S

When: July 13, 12:45 AM EST to 12:47 AM EST
Where: St. Mary'S County, California
Rating: F1
Path length: 1.2 mi
Path width: 100 yd
Property damage: $100,000
Coordinates: 38.300, -76.500

What these are

Tornado: A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Maryland in 1996 Every state in 1996 This day in weather history The tornado archive for Maryland, 1996 Warnings in Maryland, July 1996

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: 5568046.