Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Maryland, June 30, 2001

Name: Damaging Winds and Lightning Strike in Maryland, June 30, 2001
Start: 2001-06-30T16:05
End: 2001-06-30T16:40
Location: Maryland

June 30, 2001 · NWS LWX · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

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: 2
Property damage: $5,000
Crop damage: None recorded
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.

Scattered thunderstorms with damaging wind and dangerous lightning moved across central Maryland between 4 and 6 PM EDT on the 30th. In Prince George's County, two men were hospitalized after being struck by lightning while on a private dock in Fort Washington. They had just come ashore and were securing their boat as the storm hit. Both men, ages 35 and 21, were knocked on their back by the bolt and were momentarily paralyzed. There were holes in their clothing where the electricity passed through. They both had reddish streaks resembling sunburn stretching from their left armpit to their right leg. They were treated for 2nd degree burns at a local hospital. One of the victims had been struck by lightning once before in 8th grade while camping. In Anne Arundel County, numerous trees were downed by high wind. Poplar trees were downed by Annapolis Mall and power outages were reported. A wind gust of 60 MPH was estimated in Annapolis where pea sized hail fell. A wind gust of 45 MPH was reported in Rivera Beach where pea sized hail was also spotted. Thomas Point Lighthouse on the Chesapeake Bay recorded a wind gust of 44 MPH.

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Baltimore/Washington wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jun 30, 1:35 PM EST, 2 hours 30 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jun 30, 1:35 PM EST, 2 hours 30 minutes before

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON
235 PM EDT SAT JUN 30 2001

HEAT ADVSRY CURRENTLY IN EFFECT SEEMS TO BE VERIFYING - 2 PM
ROUND-UP SHOWS SVRL STATIONS ARND 98 DEGS FOR HEAT INDEX VALUES. AS
ANTICIPATED SCT CONVECTION IS FIRING. HOWEVER A FOCUS IS LACKING FOR
AN ORGANIZED LINE. EVEN SO FEEL SOME CELLS COULD GO SVR WITH CAPES OVER
3000 THIS AFTN. CURRENT VWP SHOWS A FLOW FM THE WSW ARND 10 KTS. THIS
CORRESPONDS WITH CELL MVMNT.

FCST WL HAVE SCT CONVECTION INTO THE EVENG HRS...THEN PC AND CONT
WARM OVRNGT. FOR TMRW AM UNSURE OF NEED FOR ANOTHER HEAT ADVSRY - FOR ONE
THING TMRW IS JULY...AND ON JUL 1 MIN REQUIREMENT RISES FM 98 TO 100.

TMRW AFTN AND EVE COULD BE INTERESTING - ALL MDLS IN AGREEMENT ON
MVMNT OF CD FNT SWD ACROSS PA ON SUN AFTN. SPC HAS ERN PA IN MDT
RISK...AND NRN HALF OF OUR CWA IN SLGT RISK. FOR NOW WL GO WITH A 50
POP ACROSS THE NRN HALF OF THE AREA SUN AFTN...40 POP S. WL KEEP A
CHC IN FOR SUN EVENG.

MON LOOKS LIKE A PLEASNT CHG TO THE PAST SVRL DAYS.

DCA   75  92  65  79 /  30  50  40  10
BWI   72  90  63  77 /  30  50  40   0
MRB   68  91  62  76 /  30  50  30   0
IAD   69  90  63  77 /  30  50  40   0
CHO   69  92  64  80 /  30  40  40  10
HGR   68  91  62  76 /  30  50  30   0
NHK   73  92  64  80 /  30  40  40  10
W99   65  89  59  73 /  30  50  30   0

.LWX...
DC...NONE.

MD...NONE.

VA...NONE.

W2V...NONE.

WOODY!

In the hours before

Special weather statement, Jun 30, 3:23 PM EST, 42 minutes before

MDZ009-VAZ042-302115-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON
423 PM EDT SAT JUN 30 2001

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH THE WESTERN DC SUBURBS...

AT 420 PM EDT... RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM JUST TO THE
SOUTH OF LEESBURG VIRGINIA.  THIS STORM WAS MOVING TO THE EAST AT 15
MPH. AND WILL MOVE INTO WESTERN MONTGOMERY COUNTY MARYLAND AFTER 430
PM.

PERSONS IN THE COMMUNITIES OF LEESBURG... POOLESVILLE AND GERMANTOWN
SHOULD TAKE SHELTER AS THIS STORM APPROACHES. THE THUNDERSTORM WILL
BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL... WINDS IN EXCESS OF 35 MPH...
AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER
DETAILS OR UPDATES.

MARGRAF!

Special weather statement, Jun 30, 3:34 PM EST, 31 minutes before

DCZ001-MDZ009-010-013-VAZ053-054-302130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON
434 PM EDT SAT JUN 30 2001

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH THE WASHINGTON METRO AREA...

AT 430 PM EDT... RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM
GREAT FALLS VIRGINIA TO WHEATON MARYLAND. THIS CLUDTER OF STORMS IS
MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL... WINDS IN
EXCESS OF 40 MPH... HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

PERSONS LIVING IN WASHINGTON DC... FAIRFAX COUNTY VIRGINIA... AND
MONTGOMERY AND PRINCE GEORGES COUNTIES IN MARYLAND SHOULD PREPARE TO
TAKE SHELTER INSIDE WHEN STORMS APPROACH.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER
DETAILS OR UPDATES.

MARGRAF

Special weather statement, Jun 30, 3:34 PM EST, 31 minutes before

DCZ001-MDZ009-010-013-VAZ053-054-302130-

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON
434 PM EDT SAT JUN 30 2001

...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING THROUGH THE WASHINGTON METRO AREA...

AT 430 PM EDT... RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDING FROM
GREAT FALLS VIRGINIA TO WHEATON MARYLAND. THIS CLUSTER OF STORMS IS
MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH.

THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL... WINDS IN
EXCESS OF 40 MPH... HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING.

PERSONS LIVING IN WASHINGTON DC... FAIRFAX COUNTY VIRGINIA... AND
MONTGOMERY AND PRINCE GEORGES COUNTIES IN MARYLAND SHOULD PREPARE TO
TAKE SHELTER INSIDE WHEN STORMS APPROACH.

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER
DETAILS OR UPDATES.

MARGRAF

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

2 thunderstorm wind, 1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.

Thunderstorm Wind, Allegany

When: June 30, 4:05 PM EST to 4:40 PM EST
Where: Allegany County, Countywide
Property damage: $5,000
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.967, -76.500

Numerous trees were downed.

Lightning, Prince George'S

When: June 30, 4:15 PM EST
Where: Prince George'S County, 2 mi SW of Oxon Hill
Injuries: 2 direct, 0 indirect
Reported by: NEWSPAPER
Coordinates: 39.650, -78.667

Two men were struck by lightning while on a boat dock.

Thunderstorm Wind, Anne Arundel

When: June 30, 4:40 PM EST
Where: Anne Arundel County, Annapolis
Measured: 52 kt (60 mph)
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.994, -76.568 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

A wind gust of 60 MPH was estimated.

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.
Lightning: A lightning strike that killed, injured or caused damage.

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

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Maryland in 2001 Every state in 2001 This day in weather history Warnings in Maryland, June 2001

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: 5254773, 5254578, 5254579.