An area of intense thunderstorms producing damaging winds, frequent lightning, and heavy downpours moved across extreme Northern Virginia between 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM EDT. As the storms moved across Clarke County, straight line winds in excess of 55 MPH demolished a shed on a farm near White Post.
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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 episode as NWS LWX wrote it up.
An area of intense thunderstorms producing damaging winds, frequent lightning, and heavy downpours moved across extreme Northern Virginia between 3:00 PM and 6:00 PM EDT. As the storms moved across Clarke County, straight line winds in excess of 55 MPH demolished a shed on a farm near White Post. The shed's heavy roof was lifted off and set down 50 feet away from the rest of the structure. A tree nearby was also toppled. County officials reported several other trees down across the county, including some across Route 50 at 3:00 PM EDT. In Warren County, strong winds downed several trees in Front Royal around 3:15 PM EDT. As the storms crossed Fauquier County, a wind gust of 60 MPH was measured in Warrenton at 3:59 PM EDT. Trees were also downed in Rectortown around 3:20 PM EDT. Loudoun County was hardest hit by the storms. Trees and power lines were downed along the Route 7 corridor from Bluemont to Leesburg between 3:10 PM and 3:40 PM EDT. Over 10,000 customers in the Ashburn, Lucketts, Purcellville, and Leesburg areas lost power as a direct result of the storm. Lightning struck several homes, and one bolt set 20 bales of hay near Round Hill on fire. South of Purcellville, several trees and power lines were downed across Route 610 and 611, making parts of the roads impassable. One tree fell onto a home in Purcellville, causing minor damage. A wind gust of 78 MPH was recorded around 3:30 PM at the Leesburg Municipal Airport. Extensive wind damage occurred in and around the airport. A construction trailer on airport grounds was lifted off its foundation and smashed into pieces as it came to rest on Sycolin Road. Several other airport buildings reported minor roof damage. A Cessna and a Piper single-engine aircraft anchored on the airport tarmac were flipped by the sudden downburst of wind. One of the planes went cartwheeling over 200 feet, flying over the tops of other moored planes onto a nearby grass field. Six other planes reported minor damage because high winds blew backwards across wing surfaces and a few were hit by debris. Just east of the airport, framing for two homes under construction were blown over and a construction trailer was also damaged. Dog kennels were moved and a satellite dish was damaged at the Leesburg Fire-Rescue Training Center. Several homes near Country Club Drive and Evergreen Mills Road were damaged by fallen trees, and reported damaged trim and roof shingles. One resident on Evergreen Mills Road reported the wind blew with such strength that it forced open locked, double doors. Nearby signs were blown over on the Dulles Toll Road, and some barns, sheds, and tin roofs were damaged in the vicinity. The historic Oatlands Plantation about 5 miles south of Leesburg reported extensive tree and building damage. As many as 20 trees, over a third of the plantation's collection between 150 and 300 years of age, were downed in the Oak Grove. Several other trees including the oldest known English Oak in Virginia and a rare European Larch were damaged. Fallen trees caused moderate damage to the Chauffeur's Cottage, and outhouse, and the Carriage House. Centuries old trees were also downed on the historic property of Rokeby's Farm just outside of Leesburg. The storms also downed trees in the western portion of Fairfax County and in the city of Fairfax around 4:30 PM EDT. Fallen trees blocked the Fairfax County Parkway from Popes Head Road northward during the evening rush hour. Following the first batch of storms, an isolated thunderstorm producing damaging winds moved across Fauquier County between 5:30 PM and 6:00 PM EDT. Trees were downed around 5:40 PM EDT in Warrenton.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
12 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Trees downed on Route 250 between the University of VA and Ivy Rd.
Trees downed across Route 50 and other parts of the county, a shed destroyed near White Post
Trees downed
Trees downed along Route 7 corridor in Bluemont and Round Hill areas
Trees downed
Tree downed on house in Purceville and several trees downed onto roads and power lines south of town
20 bales of hay caught fire after being struck by lightning
Measured wind gust of 78 MPH at Leesburg Municipal Airport
Several trees downed in south part of town, planes flipped and buildings damaged at airport, homes under construction demolished, several historic trees downed and buildings damaged at Oatlands Plantation
Measured wind gust of 60 MPH
Trees downed on Fairfax County Parkway north of Popes Head Rd.
Trees downed in western half of city
Trees downed
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, August 1999
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: 5718667, 5718668, 5718669, 5718671, 5718670, 5718672, 5718673, 5718674, 5718675, 5718676, 5718766, 5718765, 5718767.