Maryland, 1997

Hail and Waterspout in Maryland, May 6, 1997

May 6, 1997 · NWS LWX · 2 events in 2 counties and zones

1 hail, 1 waterspout, as filed by the National Weather Service.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 1 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

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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
2

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), 50 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:25 UTC.

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Event by event

1 hail, 1 waterspout. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Prince George'S

When
May 6, 11:30 AM EST
Where
Prince George'S County, Capitol Heights
Measured
0.75 in hail
Coordinates
38.880, -76.920

Dime-sized hail fell briefly in Capitol Heights. Marble-sized hail fell a bit earlier in downtown Washington, DC. One tree fell onto wires near Greenbelt, causing a disruption of service to 2300 Potomac Electric Power customers.

Waterspout, Harford

When
May 6, 11:50 AM EST
Where
Harford County, 5 mi SW of Aberdeen
Coordinates
39.536, -76.299 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A waterspout touched down briefly in the Bush River near the intersection of federal highway 40 and the Amtrak railroad bridge.

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
Waterspout
A tornado over water. One that moves ashore is filed as a tornado from the coastline on.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Maryland in 1997Every state in 1997This day in weather historyWarnings in Maryland, May 1997

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: 5600206, 5600266.