Maryland, 1998

Strong Wind in Maryland, February 17, 1998

February 17, 1998 · NWS LWX · 8 events in 8 counties and zones

S. and departing strong high pressure over New England produced east winds which increased to 25 to 35 mph with frequent gusts to 45 mph during the afternoon.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 5 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

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  • Floods
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  • Cold
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  • Marine and coastal
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The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
$25,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
8

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.

The gradient between developing low pressure over the southeast U.S. and departing strong high pressure over New England produced east winds which increased to 25 to 35 mph with frequent gusts to 45 mph during the afternoon. The winds produced scattered tree and power line damage, causing an estimated 5000 customers in the Baltimore/Washington metropolitan region to be without electricity. An individual feeder line in northeastern Howard Co (MDZ010) was struck by a tree, knocking out power to an additional 10,000 customers. No substantial property damage was reported.

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

8 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Strong Wind, Carroll

When
February 17, 1:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Carroll forecast zone
Coordinates
39.563, -77.022 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Northern Baltimore

When
February 17, 1:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Northern Baltimore forecast zone
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
39.443, -76.616 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Harford

When
February 17, 1:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Harford forecast zone
Property damage
$5,000

Strong Wind, Montgomery

When
February 17, 1:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Montgomery forecast zone
Property damage
$5,000

Strong Wind, Howard

When
February 17, 1:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Howard forecast zone
Property damage
$5,000

Strong Wind, Southern Baltimore / Baltimore (C)

When
February 17, 1:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Southern Baltimore / Baltimore (C) forecast zone
Property damage
$5,000
Coordinates
39.367, -76.614 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Prince Georges

When
February 17, 1:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Prince Georges forecast zone
Coordinates
38.830, -76.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Strong Wind, Anne Arundel

When
February 17, 1:00 PM EST to 5:00 PM EST
Where
Anne Arundel forecast zone
Coordinates
38.994, -76.568 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Strong Wind
Non-thunderstorm winds below high wind criteria that nonetheless caused damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Maryland in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Maryland, February 1998

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: 5635839, 5635840, 5635841, 5635842, 5635843, 5635844, 5635845, 5635846.