1 lightning, as filed by the National Weather Service.
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.
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 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 Wakefield, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Aug 30, 5:52 PM EST, 2 hours 8 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 652 PM EDT SAT AUG 30 2003 UPDATING FORECAST AT 7 PM TO REMOVE WATCH. MINOR ADJUSTMENTS TO TSTM CHANCES BASED ON RADAR AS WELL. STG WINDS AND PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS PSBL IN TSTMS THRU TNGT. PREV AFD BELOW. NS -------------------------------------------- TSTMS DVLPG IN WRN AREAS...AND SVR TSTM WATCH IN PLACE. AREA PROFILERS SHOW THE WIND FIELDS HV WEAKENED AND FLO IS FRLY UNIFORM FROM THE W. VRY UNSTABLE THO...SO SOME ISOLD LRG HAIL (VILS NEED TO BE WELL INTO 60S FOR EVEN THOUGHTS OF SVR HAIL) AND MICROBURSTS ARE PSBL...ESPCLY WTH SOME ENHANCED LLVL CNVRGNC ALG THE WIND SHIFT BOUNDARY FCST TO SINK S INTO THE AREA OVRNGT. SO HOW FAR S DOES THE SFC BNDRY GET? STILL CONFLICTS IN GDNC. FEEL THE CONVECTIVE OUTFLOWS THRU THE NGT WL DRIVE THE WSHFT BNDRY TO SOMEWHERE BETWEEN ORF AND ECG...BUT THE DEW PT GRADIENT WILL REMAIN OVR NRN VA AND MD. NRN STREAM UPR CONFLUENCE STILL DSNT SEEM STG ENUF TO SUPPORT GUD SURGE OF DRYER AIR THIS FAR S. AS HAS BEEN THE CASE ALL SUMMER...WSHFT BNDRY WELL AHD OF SFC DEW PT BNDRY...AND CNVCTN FORMS ON BOTH BOUNDARIES. ON SUNDAY...ONSHORE SFC FLO WL RESULT IN SOME ENHNCD CLOUDINESS ARND THE BAY AND COAST...AND EVEN INLAND AREAS WL SEE PDS OF CLOUDS AND SUN. TEMPS WL BE IN UPR 70S TO LWR/MID 80S MOST AREAS...BUT INTERIOR NE NC AND ALG VA/NC BRDR CUD REMAIN QUITE WARM AND HUMID DEPENDING ON WHERE THE SFC WHSFT BNDRY STALLS. .EXTENDED...AS SFC WSHFT AND DEW PT BOUNDARIES BEGIN TO DRFT BACK N MON AND TUE...CONTD CHCS FOR TSTMS. LOTS OF CONFLICTS IN GDNC...BUT BEST CHCS FOR TSTMS BY TUE NGT AND WED IS IN NRN AREAS...CLOSER TO RETREATING SFC BNDRY. SOME HINT OF ANOTHER NRN STREAM UPR SYSTEM SKIRTING ACROSS THE N...TRYING TO PUSH SFC BNDRY BACK S BY LTR WED INTO THU AND FRI...SO GENERAL CHCS FOR TSTMS...GRDLY TRENDING S EACH DAY. TROPICAL SYSTEM IN GULF AND FABIAN NEED TO BE WATCHED CAREFULLY BASED ON THE OVERALL UPPER PATN EVOLUTION SUGGESTED BY ALL LONG RANGE GDNC. .MARINE...STDY SW WNDS CONT TNGT...JUST BELOW SCA...BUT STGR WNDS IN TSTMS. WSHFT TO ONSHORE OVRNGT...AND CONTG INTO MON...THEN BACK TO S AND SW AS SFC WSHFT BNDRY DRFTS BACK N. .AVIATION...TYPICAL CONVECTIVE THREATS OF LOW CEILINGS AND REDUCED VSBY IN TSTMS...ALG WTH WIND GUSTS AND OUTFLOWS. FOG AND LOW CLOUDS IN THE MORNING DUE TO WET GROUND AND ONSHORE WNDS. .PRELIMINARY TEMPS/POPS... SBY 70 77 65 81 / 60 40 40 40 OXB 70 77 67 82 / 60 40 40 40 WAL 71 78 69 81 / 60 40 40 40 FVX 68 80 67 79 / 60 40 40 40 RIC 70 80 68 82 / 60 40 40 40 PTB 70 81 69 82 / 50 40 40 30 AKQ 72 82 70 80 / 50 40 30 30 PHF 74 82 71 82 / 50 40 30 30 ORF 76 81 72 82 / 40 50 30 30 ECG 75 87 73 86 / 30 50 30 30 .AKQ... .MD...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH MDZ021>025 UNTIL 7 PM. .VA...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH VAZ048-049-061>064-069>078-083>086- 099-100 UNTIL 7 PM. .NC...NONE. NS
MDZ021>025-NCZ012>017-030>032-102-VAZ048-049-060>100-301600- HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 530 AM EDT SAT AUG 30 2003 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND EASTERN VIRGINIA... NORTHEAST NORTH CAROLINA AND THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE. .DAY ONE...TODAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN... NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER CALL TO ACTION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. 25 THIS PRODUCT...ALONG WITH OTHER WATCHES...WARNINGS...ADVISORIES...AND STATEMENTS ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IN WAKEFIELD, VA CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET AT THE FOLLOWING (LOWER CASE): WEATHER.NOAA.GOV/AKQ.
MDZ022>025-310000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 619 PM EDT SAT AUG 30 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ARE APPROACHING SALISBURY...CRISFIELD... OCEAN CITY AND PRINCESS ANNE... AT 615 PM...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDED FROM COASTAL DELAWARE TO JUST NORTH OF SALISBURY TO SOUTH OF PATUXENT RIVER. THE LINE OF STORMS WAS MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. THE STORMS WILL AFFECT SALISBURY AND CRISFIELD THROUGH 645 PM. THE STORMS WILL REACH OCEAN CITY AND PRINCESS ANNE BY 7 PM. THE STORMS WILL THEN TRACK TO SNOW HILL...POCOMOKE CITY AND ASSATEAGUE SHORTLY AFTER 7 PM. THE STORMS WILL CONTAIN HEAVY RAIN...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...SMALL HAIL...AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH. IF YOU ARE OUTSIDE AND CAN HEAR THUNDER...YOU ARE IN DANGER OF BEING STRUCK BY LIGHTNING. SEEK SAFE SHELTER UNTIL THE STORMS PASS. NS
NCZ012-VAZ065>067-079-080-087-310000- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 657 PM EDT SAT AUG 30 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OVER SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA... AT 657 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM KENBRIDGE TO NEAR SOUTH HILL...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR BRODNAX AROUND 710 PM EDT...LAWRENCEVILLE AROUND 730 PM EDT...MCKENNEY AROUND 740 PM EDT AND PURDY AROUND 755 PM EDT. OTHER LOCATIONS TO BE AFFECTED BY THE STORMS INCLUDE BLACKSTONE...DINWIDDIE AND VICTORIA. WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS REILLY && LAT...LON 3707 7824 3642 7837 3642 7768 3708 7754
MDZ021>025-VAZ048-049-061>064-069>078-083>086-099-100-302330- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 703 PM EDT SAT AUG 30 2003 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 912 HAS EXPIRED... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 912 HAS EXPIRED. A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS EXTENDS FROM THE LOWER MARYLAND EASTERN SHORE...TO THE NORTHERN NECK TO THE RICHMOND METRO AREA...MOVING EAST AT 25 MPH. GUSTY WINDS TO 40 MPH...HEAVY RAIN AND FREQUENT LIGHTNING CAN BE EXPECTED IN THUNDERSTORMS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS EVENING. NS
VAZ082-084>086-089>091-094-099-100-310015- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 737 PM EDT SAT AUG 30 2003 ...LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OVER THE PENINSULA AND LOWER VIRGINIA EASTERN SHORE... AT 737 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS FROM 30 MILES NORTHEAST OF EXMORE TO 7 MILES EAST OF CHARLES CITY...OR FROM 10 MILES SOUTH OF POCOMOKE CITY TO 6 MILES NORTH OF CLAREMONT...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 25 MPH. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR GLOUCESTER COURTHOUSE AROUND 745 PM EDT...WILLIAMSBURG AROUND 755 PM EDT...SURRY AROUND 800 PM EDT... GLOUCESTER POINT AROUND 810 PM EDT AND NEW POINT COMFORT AROUND 815 PM EDT. OTHER LOCATIONS TO BE AFFECTED BY THE STORMS INCLUDE DELTAVILLE... MATHEWS...NORGE...QUEENS LAKE...SEAFORD AND TOANO. WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. EXPECT FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING IN THE PATH OF THIS STORMS. REILLY && LAT...LON 3798 7550 3733 7710 3704 7673 3768 7513
VAZ081-088-089-310115- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 841 PM EDT SAT AUG 30 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING OUT OF PRINCE GEORGE AND INTO SURRY COUNTY... AT 841 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER DISPUTANTA...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR OAK HILL CORNER AT 850 PM EDT... GWALTNEY CORNER...AND...SAVEDGE AT 855 PM EDT...SPRING GROVE AT 900 PM EDT...SURRY...AND...ELBERON AT 910 PM EDT. OTHER LOCATIONS TO BE AFFECTED BY THE STORMS INCLUDE BURROWSVILLE...CABIN POINT... CLAREMONT...DENDRON...SCOTLAND AND WAVERLY. WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. REILLY && LAT...LON 3719 7730 3701 7728 3703 7673 3725 7675
VAZ081-088-089-310115- SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA 841 PM EDT SAT AUG 30 2003 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORM MOVING OUT OF SUSSEX AND INTO SURRY COUNTY... AT 841 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER DISPUTANTA...MOVING EAST AT 30 MPH. THE STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE NEAR OAK HILL CORNER AT 850 PM EDT... GWALTNEY CORNER...AND...SAVEDGE AT 855 PM EDT...SPRING GROVE AT 900 PM EDT...SURRY...AND...ELBERON AT 910 PM EDT. OTHER LOCATIONS TO BE AFFECTED BY THE STORMS INCLUDE BURROWSVILLE...CABIN POINT... CLAREMONT...DENDRON...SCOTLAND AND WAVERLY. WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH AND FREQUENT DANGEROUS LIGHTNING ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM. REILLY && LAT...LON 3719 7730 3701 7728 3703 7673 3725 7675
The Norfolk radar (KAKQ), 42 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 01:01 UTC.
1 lightning. Local standard time, as filed.
Lightning strike killed man at Busch Gardens amusement park.
As the offices recorded each death: direct deaths were caused by the weather itself, indirect ones by something it set in motion.
| Event | Date | Age | Sex | Where | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lightning, James City | 2003-08-30 | 29 | Male | Outside/Open Areas | Direct |
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2003Every state in 2003This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, August 2003
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: 5374676.