Thunderstorm Wind, Loudoun
- When
- July 21, 4:57 PM EST to 5:10 PM EST
- Where
- Loudoun County, Lovettsville to Waterford
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Crop damage
- $20,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 39.270, -77.630
Damaging Winds in Virginia, July 21, 1998
A potent line of strong to severe thunderstorms raced through portions of northern Virginia during the early evening, knocking down large limbs and a few trees and wires. Initial damage was noted in northwestern Loudoun Co, where numerous trees and wires were blown down along the gust front.
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
- $25,000
- Crop damage
- $20,000
- Events
- 3
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.
A potent line of strong to severe thunderstorms raced through portions of northern Virginia during the early evening, knocking down large limbs and a few trees and wires. Initial damage was noted in northwestern Loudoun Co, where numerous trees and wires were blown down along the gust front. Additional limb and wire damage was noted across northern Fairfax Co, from the Reston/Herndon vicinity to Vienna. At least two large trees fell in Arlington Co; one blocking at least one lane of the George Washington Parkway near Windy Run; another at the intersection of Vermont and 11th Avenue.
The radar
The Sterling radar (KLWX), 35 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:54 UTC.
Event by event
3 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Fairfax
- When
- July 21, 5:41 PM EST to 5:54 PM EST
- Where
- Fairfax County, Reston to Vienna
- Property damage
- $12,000
- Reported by
- UTILITY COMPANY
- Coordinates
- 38.970, -77.300
Thunderstorm Wind, Arlington
- When
- July 21, 5:58 PM EST
- Where
- Arlington County, Arlington
- Property damage
- $3,000
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.880, -77.130
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
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Michigan, July 21, 1998
- Damaging Winds in Wisconsin, July 21, 1998
- Flooding and Hail in Indiana, July 21, 1998
- Heat in Texas, July 21, 1998
- Heat in Oklahoma, July 21, 1998
- Lightning Strike in Nebraska, July 21, 1998
- Heat in Missouri, July 21, 1998
- Damaging Wind in Ohio, July 21, 1998
- Damaging Winds and Lightning Strikes in Michigan, July 21, 1998
- Lightning Strike in Ohio, July 21, 1998
- Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Maryland, July 21, 1998
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Ohio, July 21, 1998
More
Every storm in Virginia in 1998Every state in 1998This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, July 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: 5662964, 5662965, 5662966.