Thunderstorm Wind, Montgomery
- When
- June 24, 3:55 PM EST to 4:10 PM EST
- Where
- Montgomery County, Potomac to Bethesda
- Property damage
- $350,000
- Coordinates
- 39.020, -77.220
Damaging Wind in Maryland, June 24, 1996
Along the northeastern portion of a heavy precipitation supercell which as simultaneously producing a tornado in Fairfax Co Virginia, downburst winds knocked down hundreds of trees, limbs, and power lines from Potomac through Bethesda. Dozens of tree-lined streets in Bethesda were closed for removal of downed large limbs and snapped trees, some which fell onto homes and vehicles.
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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $350,000
- 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.
Along the northeastern portion of a heavy precipitation supercell which as simultaneously producing a tornado in Fairfax Co Virginia, downburst winds knocked down hundreds of trees, limbs, and power lines from Potomac through Bethesda. Dozens of tree-lined streets in Bethesda were closed for removal of downed large limbs and snapped trees, some which fell onto homes and vehicles. An automobile dealership in Bethesda had a portion of it's roof ripped off.
The radar
The Sterling radar (KLWX), 24 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:56 UTC.
Event by event
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
What these are
- 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
- Tornadoes in Virginia, June 24, 1996
- Tornadoes in Maryland, June 24, 1996
- Damaging Wind in Maryland, June 24, 1996
- Hail in Colorado, June 24, 1996
- Damaging Wind in Virginia, June 24, 1996
- Damaging Wind in Virginia, June 24, 1996
- Lightning Strike in Virginia, June 24, 1996
- Flash Flood in Ohio, June 24, 1996
- Lightning Strike in South Carolina, June 24, 1996
- Lightning Strike in Ohio, June 24, 1996
- Tornado in Maryland, June 24, 1996
- Tornado in Virginia, June 24, 1996
More
Every storm in Maryland in 1996Every state in 1996This day in weather historyWarnings in Maryland, June 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: 5561184.