Virginia, 1999

Hail and Damaging Wind in Virginia, July 22, 1999

July 22, 1999 · NWS LWX · 4 events in 3 counties and zones

Very warm and humid air just east of the Appalachian Mountains helped to fire scattered thunderstorms in the mid afternoon hours. One area of storms that moved across Culpeper, Madison, and Orange Counties between 2:45 PM and 4:15 PM EDT produced wind gusts in excess of 55 MPH and 1 inch diameter hail.

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
$5,000
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
4

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.

Very warm and humid air just east of the Appalachian Mountains helped to fire scattered thunderstorms in the mid afternoon hours. One area of storms that moved across Culpeper, Madison, and Orange Counties between 2:45 PM and 4:15 PM EDT produced wind gusts in excess of 55 MPH and 1 inch diameter hail. Trees and power lines were downed in the city of Culpeper around 3:10 PM EDT. Another storm that produced very heavy rain lowered visibilities significantly as it moved across Fairfax County around 3:15 PM EDT which was a contributing factor in two serious multi-car accidents. One 22 car pileup occurred on Interstate 66 near the intersection of Highway 28. Twenty people were injured in the crash and the interstate had to be closed for a short time while emergency personnel attended to the injured and cleared debris. Another multi-car crash, just minutes later, occurred on Interstate 95 between the Lorton and Newington exits, closing the artery for several hours. Eighteen cars were involved and 15 people were injured.

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 71 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:52 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.

Hail, Culpeper

When
July 22, 1:55 PM EST to 2:10 PM EST
Where
Culpeper County, Culpeper
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.480, -78.000

Thunderstorm Wind, Culpeper

When
July 22, 2:10 PM EST
Where
Culpeper County, Culpeper
Property damage
$5,000
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
38.480, -78.000

Trees and power lines downed

Hail, Madison

When
July 22, 2:50 PM EST
Where
Madison County, Elly
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates
38.350, -78.200

Hail, Orange

When
July 22, 3:05 PM EST
Where
Orange County, Gordonsville
Measured
1 in hail
Reported by
EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates
38.150, -78.180

What these are

Hail
Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
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 1999Every state in 1999This day in weather historyWarnings 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: 5710417, 5710418, 5710419, 5710420.