Name: Damaging Winds in Virginia, July 18, 1999
Start: 1999-07-18T15:10
End: 1999-07-18T17:25
Location: Virginia

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

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The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: $26,000
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 5

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 line of thunderstorms producing winds in excess of 55 MPH, frequent lightning, and heavy downpours moved from Central Virginia to Northeast Virginia between 4:00 PM and 6:45 PM EDT. As the storms moved through Albemarle County, severe winds blew down several trees in the northern part of the county around 4:10 PM EDT. Trees were downed on Route 604 in extreme southeast Greene County around 4:15 PM EDT. The storms weakened for a time as they moved into Northern Virginia, then strengthened once again as they moved into Loudoun County. At Dulles International Airport, a gust of 63 MPH was recorded at 6:09 PM EDT. Trees and power lines were downed about 2 miles north of the airport on Route 606 and near the Dulles Post Office on Moran Road. Power outages were reported in the vicinity. As the storms moved into Fairfax County, strong winds tore tar paper and flashings off townhomes under construction a mile southwest of Herndon at 6:25 PM EDT. A few pine trees were also downed nearby.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

5 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Albemarle

When: July 18, 3:10 PM EST
Where: Albemarle County, North Portion
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 38.130, -78.520

Trees downed

Thunderstorm Wind, Greene

When: July 18, 3:15 PM EST
Where: Greene County, 4 mi S of Ruckersville
Property damage: $1,000
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 38.180, -78.370

Trees downed on Route 604 near the Albemarle County line

Thunderstorm Wind, Loudoun

When: July 18, 5:09 PM EST
Where: Loudoun County, 2 mi SE of Ashburn
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: NWS EMPLOYEE(OFF DUTY)
Coordinates: 39.030, -77.450

Trees downed on Route 606 and Moran Road

Thunderstorm Wind, Loudoun

When: July 18, 5:09 PM EST
Where: Loudoun County, 4 mi SE of Ashburn
Measured: 55 kt (63 mph)
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
Coordinates: 39.020, -77.430

Dulles Airport ASOS measured wind gust

Thunderstorm Wind, Fairfax

When: July 18, 5:25 PM EST
Where: Fairfax County, 1 mi SW of Herndon
Property damage: $15,000
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 38.950, -77.400

Minor damage to home under construction and trees downed

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

More

Every storm in Virginia in 1999 Every state in 1999 This day in weather history Warnings in Virginia, July 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5710412, 5710413, 5710414, 5710415, 5710416.