Thunderstorm Wind, Spotsylvania
- When
- May 22, 2:30 PM EST
- Where
- Spotsylvania County, Partlow
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 38.033, -77.633
A large oak tree was downed between Partlow and Brakenberg.
Tornadoes and Hail in Virginia, May 22, 2001
Thunderstorms that produced wind gusts in excess of 55 MPH, large hail, heavy downpours, frequent lightning, and isolated tornadoes crossed the area during the afternoon and early evening hours of the 22nd. In Augusta County and in the city of Waynesboro, trees were felled by high winds.
Where it happened
Every event with a place to put it; 10 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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $149,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 33
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.
Thunderstorms that produced wind gusts in excess of 55 MPH, large hail, heavy downpours, frequent lightning, and isolated tornadoes crossed the area during the afternoon and early evening hours of the 22nd. In Augusta County and in the city of Waynesboro, trees were felled by high winds. Trees and power lines were downed in Staunton. A total of 1.60 inches of rain was reported in Waynesboro. In Nelson County, a wind gust of 71 MPH was recorded near Lovingston. In Albemarle County, a tornado touched down 2 miles northeast of Woodridge near the intersection of Buck Island Road and Martin Kings Road, traveled northeast for 2.5 miles, then dissipated near Route 53. The tornado was 75 yards wide and was ranked as an F1. Several trees were damaged. Some houses in the path of the tornado had siding and shingles torn off and another home had a deck rail torn off. Across the rest of the county, including the town of Afton and the city of Charlottesville, straight line winds downed trees and power lines. In Greene County, trees were downed in Ruckersville. In Orange County, trees and power lines were downed in the town of Orange where 1.65 inches of rain was reported. Hail of unknown size also fell across the county. In Spotsylvania County, trees were downed in Partlow, Brokenburg, Thornburg, and across Interstate 95 near the Caroline County border. A wind gust of 60 MPH was reported at Route 3 near the town of Spotsylvania. Heavy downpours flooded Courthouse Road near Hilltop Plaza. Lightning struck a business in Thornburg, burning a hole in the roof. In Stafford County, trees were downed in the town of Stafford. In King George County, trees were downed in the town of King George and elsewhere across the county. In Fauquier County, trees were downed in Warrenton. In Prince William County, an F0 tornado touched down briefly in Dale City. It was on the ground for one mile and was 50 yards wide. A spotter and a county official sited the tornado and reported damage to trees and power lines in the path of the twister. Golfball sized hail preceded the tornado. Across the rest of the county, high winds reportedly downed additional trees and power lines. In the city of Manassas, a wind gust of 64 MPH was recorded. Heavy downpours flooded streets and some basements. Route 1 was also temporarily flooded when Neabisco Creek overflowed its banks. Some county roads including Route 234 were also flooded. Lightning strikes damaged two homes in Dale City. A lightning fire at a home in the town of Prince William displaced a family and resulted in $50,000 damage.In Loudoun County, heavy downpours dropped 2.09 inches of rain in Middleburg, 1.93 inches at Dulles International Airport and 1.78 inches in Leesburg. In Fairfax County, trees and power lines were downed in Lorton along Route 1. A funnel cloud was sited nearby. In Centreville, nickel sized hail fell and winds of 50 MPH were estimated. Flooding was reported on roads in Annandale, McLean, Reston, and along Route 1 in Mt. Vernon. Rainfall totals included 2.17 inches in Oak Hill, 1.94 inches in Reston, 1.92 inches in Mt. Vernon, 1.63 inches in Centreville, and 1.57 inches in Herndon where winds gusted to 41 MPH. In Arlington County, trees and power lines were downed. A total of 1.60 inches of rain was reported and a few basements were flooded. In Alexandria, trees and power lines were downed.
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 May 22, 9:42 AM EST, 4 hours 48 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, May 22, 9:42 AM EST, 4 hours 48 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE/WASHINGTON 1042 AM EDT TUE MAY 22 2001 FCST ESSENTIALLY REMAINS ON TRACK. CONVECTION CONTG IN CENTRAL W.V. AHD OF CD FNT WHICH IS XPCTD TO REACH IAD/DCA ARND 00Z. XTNSV CLD CVR WL HELP TO LIMIT HIGH TEMPS THIS AFTN...BUT UPPER DYNAMICS QUITE GUD WITH UPPER DIVERGENCE AND JET ROUNDING THE BOTTOM OF THE TROF. SPC TALKED ABOUT ISOLD TORNADOES IN ERN WV/NRN VA/MD IN THEIR 12Z DSCN. FOR IAD THE 6Z M-ETA SHOWS BEST HELICITY BETWEEN 6 AND 8 PM. XTND FCST (BEYOND TDA) RMNS UNCHGD. LOOKED TO BE FAIRLY COOL FOR THE NEXT SVRL DAYS. DCA 78 58 77 57 / 80 50 5 10 BWI 77 57 76 55 / 80 50 5 10 MRB 74 54 75 50 / 80 50 10 20 IAD 77 56 76 53 / 80 50 5 10 CHO 78 55 77 50 / 70 50 10 20 HGR 73 53 73 50 / 80 50 10 20 NHK 80 60 78 55 / 70 50 5 10 .LWX... DC...NONE. MD...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TUESDAY FOR ZONES MDZ002>003. VA...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TUESDAY FOR ZONES VAZ021...VAZ025>031... VAZ036>040...VAZ050>051. WV...FLASH FLOOD WATCH FOR TUESDAY FOR ZONES WVZ048>055. WOODY
In the hours before
Special weather statement, May 22, 10:03 AM EST, 4 hours 27 minutes before
DCZ001-MDZ002>007-009>011-013-014-016>018-VAZ021-025>031-036>042- 050>057-WVZ048>055-230000- SEVERE WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON 1103 AM EDT TUE MAY 22 2001 ...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON... A COLD FRONT ENTERING WEST VIRGINIA WILL REACH THE EASTERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA BY LATE AFTERNOON...AND THE CHESAPEAKE BAY THIS EVENING. MOIST...UNSTABLE AIR AHEAD OF THE FRONT WILL TRIGGER STRONG THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON ACROSS THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA...MOST OF MARYLAND...NORTHERN AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA...AND THE EASTERN WEST VIRGINIA PANHANDLE. SOME OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL REACH SEVERE LEVELS...PRODUCING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH AND HAIL LARGER THAN THREE-QUARTERS OF AN INCH IN DIAMETER. THESE STORMS WILL PRODUCE AREAS OF HEAVY RAIN...RESULTING IN RAPID RISES ON CREEKS AND SMALLER RIVERS. A FLASH FLOOD WATCH HAS BEEN POSTED FOR THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS AND POINTS WEST...AS WELL AS CHARLOTTESVILLE. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO AND OTHER LOCAL MEDIA FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR UPDATES. FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT HTTP://WWW.NWS.NOAA.GOV/ER/LWX ABW
Special weather statement, May 22, 12:41 PM EST, 1 hour 49 minutes before
DCZ001-MDZ002>007-009>011-013-014-016>018-VAZ021-025>031-036>042- 050>057-WVZ048>055-230000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON 141 PM EDT TUE MAY 22 2001 SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH NUMBER 274 IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 800 PM EDT FOR THE FOLLOWING AREAS... DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA IN MARYLAND... ALLEGANY...ANNE ARUNDEL...CALVERT...CARROLL... CHARLES...FREDERICK...HARFORD...HOWARD...MONTGOMERY...NORTHERN BALTIMORE...PRINCE GEORGES...SOUTHERN BALTIMORE...ST. MARYS AND WASHINGTON IN VIRGINIA... ALBEMARLE...ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA... AUGUSTA...CLARKE...CULPEPER...FAIRFAX...FAUQUIER...FREDERICK... GREENE...HIGHLAND...KING GEORGE...LOUDOUN...MADISON...NELSON... ORANGE...PAGE...PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK... RAPPAHANNOCK...ROCKINGHAM...SHENANDOAH...SPOTSYLVANIA...STAFFORD AND WARREN IN WEST VIRGINIA... BERKELEY...GRANT...HAMPSHIRE...HARDY... JEFFERSON...MINERAL...MORGAN AND PENDLETON A COLD FRONT STRETCHING ACROSS WESTERN WEST VIRGINIA DOWN THROUGH THE CAROLINAS WILL BE MOVING TO THE EAST DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING. THUNDERSTORMS HAVE BEEN OCCURRING ALONG THE COLD FRONT ALL DAY...AND BY LATE AFTERNOON ARE EXPECTED TO MOVE INTO THE EASTERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA...AND WESTERN VIRGINIA. THESE STORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE HAIL UP TO ONE INCH IN DIAMETER AND WINDS GUSTS TO 75 MPH. THE STORMS ARE EXPECTED< TO PUSH INTO THE GREATER WASHINGTON DC AREA DURING THE EVENING HOURS. STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR UPDATES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THESE STORMS. ABW
The radar
The Sterling radar (KLWX), 106 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:30 UTC.
Event by event
19 thunderstorm wind, 5 heavy rain, 3 funnel cloud, 2 tornado, 2 lightning, 2 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Heavy Rain, Loudoun
- When
- May 22, 3:30 PM EST to 6:30 PM EST
- Where
- Loudoun County, Countywide
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 39.091, -77.636 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Rain, Fairfax
- When
- May 22, 3:30 PM EST to 6:30 PM EST
- Where
- Fairfax County, Countywide
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.835, -77.276 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Rain, Prince William
- When
- May 22, 3:30 PM EST to 6:30 PM EST
- Where
- Prince William County, Countywide
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.702, -77.478 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Rain, Spotsylvania
- When
- May 22, 3:30 PM EST to 6:30 PM EST
- Where
- Spotsylvania County, Countywide
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.185, -77.656 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Heavy Rain, Orange
- When
- May 22, 3:30 PM EST to 6:30 PM EST
- Where
- Orange County, Countywide
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.246, -78.013 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Thunderstorm Wind, Staunton (C)
- When
- May 22, 4:00 PM EST
- Where
- Staunton (C) County, Staunton
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 38.150, -79.067
Trees and power lines were downed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Augusta
- When
- May 22, 4:00 PM EST to 4:10 PM EST
- Where
- Augusta County, Countywide
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 38.167, -79.167
Trees were downed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Nelson
- When
- May 22, 4:05 PM EST
- Where
- Nelson County, Lovingston
- Measured
- 62 kt (71 mph)
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 37.767, -78.883
A 71 MPH wind gust was reported.
Thunderstorm Wind, Waynesboro (C)
- When
- May 22, 4:10 PM EST
- Where
- Waynesboro (C) County, Waynesboro
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 38.067, -78.883
Trees were downed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Orange
- When
- May 22, 4:35 PM EST
- Where
- Orange County, Orange
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 38.250, -78.117
Trees were downed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Charlottesville (C)
- When
- May 22, 4:45 PM EST
- Where
- Charlottesville (C) County, Charlottesville
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 38.033, -78.500
Trees and power lines were downed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Albemarle
- When
- May 22, 4:45 PM EST to 4:50 PM EST
- Where
- Albemarle County, Countywide
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 37.983, -78.617
Trees and power lines were downed.
Tornado, Albemarle
- When
- May 22, 4:45 PM EST to 4:50 PM EST
- Where
- Albemarle County, 2 mi NE of Woodridge
- Rating
- F1
- Path length
- 2.5 mi
- Path width
- 75 yd
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 37.900, -78.417
Trees were downed and homes were damaged.
Thunderstorm Wind, Greene
- When
- May 22, 5:00 PM EST
- Where
- Greene County, Ruckersville
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 38.233, -78.367
Trees were downed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Spotsylvania
- When
- May 22, 5:30 PM EST
- Where
- Spotsylvania County, Thornburg
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 38.133, -77.517
Trees were downed.
Lightning, Spotsylvania
- When
- May 22, 5:30 PM EST
- Where
- Spotsylvania County, Thornburg
- Property damage
- $20,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 38.185, -77.656 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A lightning strike burned a hole in a roof.
Thunderstorm Wind, Stafford
- When
- May 22, 5:30 PM EST
- Where
- Stafford County, Stafford
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 38.417, -77.400
Trees were downed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Prince William
- When
- May 22, 5:40 PM EST to 5:55 PM EST
- Where
- Prince William County, Countywide
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 38.700, -77.500
Trees and power lines were downed.
Hail, Prince William
- When
- May 22, 5:45 PM EST
- Where
- Prince William County, Dale City
- Measured
- 1.75 in hail
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.617, -77.300
Golfball sized hail was reported.
Lightning, Prince William
- When
- May 22, 5:45 PM EST to 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Prince William County, 3 mi W of Dale City
- Property damage
- $50,000
- Reported by
- EMERGENCY MANAGER
- Coordinates
- 38.702, -77.478 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Three homes were hit by lightning.
Thunderstorm Wind, Manassas (C)
- When
- May 22, 5:50 PM EST
- Where
- Manassas (C) County, Manassas
- Measured
- 56 kt (64 mph)
- Reported by
- AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC
- Coordinates
- 38.750, -77.483
A wind gust of 64 MPH was recorded.
Thunderstorm Wind, Fauquier
- When
- May 22, 5:50 PM EST
- Where
- Fauquier County, Warrenton
- Property damage
- $2,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 38.717, -77.783
Trees were downed.
Tornado, Prince William
- When
- May 22, 5:52 PM EST to 5:55 PM EST
- Where
- Prince William County, Dale City
- Rating
- F0
- Path length
- 1 mi
- Path width
- 50 yd
- Property damage
- $1,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 38.617, -77.300
Trees were damaged.
Thunderstorm Wind, Spotsylvania
- When
- May 22, 5:55 PM EST
- Where
- Spotsylvania County, North Portion
- Measured
- 52 kt (60 mph)
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.267, -77.600
A 60 MPH wind gust was reported on Route 3.
Hail, Fairfax
- When
- May 22, 6:00 PM EST
- Where
- Fairfax County, Centreville
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.833, -77.417
Nickel sized hail fell.
Funnel Cloud, Prince William
- When
- May 22, 6:06 PM EST
- Where
- Prince William County, 1 mi N of Dumfries
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.702, -77.478 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A funnel cloud was spotted from Interstate 95.
Funnel Cloud, Fairfax
- When
- May 22, 6:15 PM EST
- Where
- Fairfax County, Lorton
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.835, -77.276 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A funnel cloud was spotted at the CSX Railroad crossing on Route 1.
Thunderstorm Wind, Fairfax
- When
- May 22, 6:15 PM EST
- Where
- Fairfax County, Lorton
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 38.700, -77.217
Trees and power lines were downed along Route 1.
Thunderstorm Wind, King George
- When
- May 22, 6:15 PM EST
- Where
- King George County, King George
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 38.267, -77.167
Trees and power lines were downed.
Funnel Cloud, Fairfax
- When
- May 22, 6:18 PM EST
- Where
- Fairfax County, Springfield
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.835, -77.276 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
A funnel cloud was spotted at the intersection of Van Dorn Street and Interstate 95.
Thunderstorm Wind, Arlington
- When
- May 22, 6:22 PM EST to 6:35 PM EST
- Where
- Arlington County, Countywide
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 38.900, -77.100
Trees and power lines were downed.
Thunderstorm Wind, Alexandria (C)
- When
- May 22, 6:35 PM EST
- Where
- Alexandria (C) County, Alexandria
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 38.817, -77.083
Trees and power lines were 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.
- Heavy Rain
- Rainfall totals unusual for the place and season that did not produce a flood.
- Tornado
- A violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground and extending from a thunderstorm, filed with its path, width and Fujita or Enhanced Fujita rating from the damage survey.
- 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.
- Funnel Cloud
- A rotating column of cloud extending from a thunderstorm that did not reach the ground.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Flash Flooding in West Virginia, May 22, 2001
- Tornadoes and Flash Flood in Maryland, May 22, 2001
- Flash Flooding and Hail in Virginia, May 22, 2001
- Flash Flood in Virginia, May 22, 2001
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, May 22, 2001
- Damaging Wind in Tennessee, May 22, 2001
- Damaging Wind in Virginia, May 22, 2001
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Maryland, May 22, 2001
- Damaging Wind in Tennessee, May 22, 2001
- Damaging Wind in Georgia, May 22, 2001
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Illinois, May 22, 2001
- Lightning Strike in Georgia, May 22, 2001
More
Every storm in Virginia in 2001Every state in 2001This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Virginia, 2001Warnings in Virginia, May 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: 5248987, 5248982, 5248983, 5248984, 5248985, 5248986, 5248988, 5248990, 5248989, 5248991, 5248992, 5248993, 5249073, 5249074, 5249075, 5249076, 5249077, 5249078, 5249079, 5249080, 5249081, 5249082, 5249083, 5249084, 5249085, 5249086, 5249087, 5249088, 5249089, 5249090, 5249091, 5249092, 5249093.