Maryland, 1999

Hail and Lightning Strike in Maryland, April 9, 1999

April 9, 1999 · NWS LWX · 6 events in 3 counties and zones

A strong cold front moved eastward across Central Maryland during the early evening. A line of showers and thunderstorms developed along and ahead of the system producing heavy downpours, frequent lightning, and gusty winds.

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
$10,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
6

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 strong cold front moved eastward across Central Maryland during the early evening. A line of showers and thunderstorms developed along and ahead of the system producing heavy downpours, frequent lightning, and gusty winds. A lightning strike sparked a tree fire in Charles County near Bel Alton around 5:50 PM EDT. A house in Montgomery County near Potomac caught on fire after being hit by lightning around 6:20 PM EDT. One thunderstorm that developed about 50 miles ahead of the cold front in South Central Maryland dropped large hail across St. Mary's and Calvert County between 6:00 PM and 6:45 PM EDT. Hail between 1 and 1 1/2 inch in diameter was reported in the communities of Bowens, Adelina, Port Republic, Mutual, and St. Leonard in Calvert County. The shower of large hail accumulated enough to cause travel problems on area roads. In St. Mary's County, dime to half dollar sized hail was reported in Golden Beach and quarter sized hail fell in Huntersville. In addition, winds gusted to 53 MPH in Tall Timbers at 7:29 PM EDT.

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 30 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:17 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 hail, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Lightning, Montgomery

When
April 9, 5:20 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, Potomac
Property damage
$10,000
Reported by
NEWSPAPER
Coordinates
39.136, -77.204 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

House fire started by lightning

Hail, St. Mary'S

When
April 9, 5:20 PM EST
Where
St. Mary'S County, Hunterville
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
38.470, -76.730

Hail, Calvert

When
April 9, 5:30 PM EST
Where
Calvert County, Solomons to Bertha
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
38.320, -76.450

Hail, Calvert

When
April 9, 5:30 PM EST
Where
Calvert County, Island Creek to St Leonard
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
38.450, -76.570

Hail, Calvert

When
April 9, 5:30 PM EST
Where
Calvert County, Buena Vista to 4 mi of Prince Frederick
Measured
1.5 in hail
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
38.580, -76.650

Hail, St. Mary'S

When
April 9, 5:37 PM EST
Where
St. Mary'S County, Golden Beach
Measured
1.25 in hail
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
38.480, -76.670

What these are

Lightning
A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.
Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Maryland in 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in Maryland, April 1999

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5695208, 5695209, 5695211, 5695212, 5695213, 5695210.