Hail and Damaging Winds in Maryland, April 23, 2005

Name: Hail and Damaging Winds in Maryland, April 23, 2005
Start: 2005-04-23T15:45
End: 2005-04-23T16:50
Location: Maryland

April 23, 2005 · NWS LWX · 8 events in 6 counties and zones

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

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 8

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 very strong cold front moved across the mid-Atlantic region on April 23, 2005. This front interacted with a moist and unstable airmass to generate significant strong to severe thunderstorms and high winds. Wind damage was reported across portions of central and northern Virginia, and southern and central Maryland, as well as across the Tidal Potomac and upper Chesapeake Bay marine waters. Damaging large hail was also reported in many locations with this storm system.

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 Apr 23, 1:41 PM EST, 2 hours 4 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Apr 23, 1:41 PM EST, 2 hours 4 minutes before

.SHORT TERM (TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY)...

...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 200 IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL AND EASTERN
PORTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA THROUGH 8 PM...

STRONG HEATING AHEAD OF THE UPPER TROUGH HAS HELPED TO DESTABILIZE
THE AREA EAST OF THE APPALACHIANS. SQUALL LINE WILL BEGIN TO
ORGANIZE IN THE AFTERNOON HOURS. MAIN THREAT WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS
NEAR 60 MPH AND LARGE HAIL OF PENNY SIZE AND LARGER. FLASH FLOOD
GUIDANCE FROM MARFC IS HIGH ENOUGH TO DIMINISH FLASH FLOODING
RISK.

SEE SPSLWX...NOWLWX...AND ANY WARNINGS ISSUED FOR FURTHER DETAILS.

...SNOW ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT SUNDAY TO 6 AM MONDAY...

STRONG COLD AIR ADVECTION BEHIND THE FRONT WILL BRING MUCH COOLER
AIR INTO THE FORECAST AREA TONIGHT...WITH TEMPERATURES IN THE LOWER
30S IN THE WESTERN RIDGES AND RAIN SHOWERS WILL CHANGE OVER TO SNOW
SHOWERS IN WEST OF THE ALLEGANY FRONT THIS EVENING. EXPECTING A RAIN
SNOW MIX BEFORE CHANGING TO SNOW ALONG THE RIDGE OVERNIGHT. ONGOING
FORECAST OF 2 TO 4 INCHES STORM TOTAL LOOK GOOD FOR NOW.

SEE WSWLWX FOR FURTHER DETAILS ON WINTER WEATHER.

&&

.LONG TERM (MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY)...

THE REMAINDER OF THE FORECAST AREA WILL BE RATHER DREARY ON MONDAY
WITH COOL...CLOUDY...AND BREEZY CONDITIONS. TEMPERATURES WILL BE
WELL BELOW NORMAL WITH HIGHS RANGING FROM THE MID 40S IN THE WEST TO
THE THE MID TO UPPER 50S IN THE SOUTHEAST.

CONDITIONS WILL BEGIN TO IMPROVE TUESDAY AS THE TROUGH BEGINS TO
MOVE OUT OF THE AREA AND HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FROM THE SOUTH. A
WEAKER COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH THE AREA ON WEDNESDAY...BRINGING THE
NEXT CHANCE OF RAIN.

&&

.MARINE...

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS
WILL DIMINISH OVERNIGHT BUT INCREASE AGAIN TOMORROW AS THE GRADIENT
TIGHTENS. SMALL CRAFT CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE INTO
MONDAY AFTERNOON.

&&

.AVIATION...

THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING WILL LOWER
CEILINGS AND VISIBILITIES. GUSTY WINDS TO 40 KT NEAR THUNDERSTORMS
ARE EXPECTED. SNOW SHOWERS WEST OF THE ALLEGANY FRONT WILL ALSO
LOWER VISIBILITIES AND CEILINGS...OBSCURING THE MOUNTAINS.

&&

.LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
DC...NONE.
MD...SNOW ADVISORY FOR MDZ002 FROM MIDNIGHT SUNDAY TO 6 AM MONDAY.
VA...SNOW ADVISORY FOR VAZ021 FROM MIDNIGHT SUNDAY TO 6 AM MONDAY.
WV...SNOW ADVISORY FOR WVZ048-049-054 FROM MIDNIGHT SUNDAY TO 6 AM
     MONDAY.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR THE TIDAL POTOMAC AND MARYLAND
         PORTION OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY.

Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 23, 8:55 AM EST, 6 hours 50 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
955 AM EDT SAT APR 23 2005

DCZ001-MDZ002>007-009>011-013-014-016>018-VAZ021-025>031-036>042-
050>057-WVZ048>055-241000-
ALBEMARLE VA-ALLEGANY MD-ANNE ARUNDEL MD-
ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA VA-AUGUSTA VA-BERKELEY WV-
CALVERT MD-CARROLL MD-CHARLES MD-CLARKE VA-CULPEPER VA-
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DC-FAIRFAX VA-FAUQUIER VA-FREDERICK VA-
FREDERICK MD-GRANT WV-GREENE VA-HAMPSHIRE WV-HARDY WV-HARFORD MD-
HIGHLAND VA-HOWARD MD-JEFFERSON WV-KING GEORGE VA-LOUDOUN VA-
MADISON VA-MINERAL WV-MONTGOMERY MD-MORGAN WV-NELSON VA-
NORTHERN BALTIMORE MD-ORANGE VA-PAGE VA-PENDLETON WV-
PRINCE GEORGES MD-PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK VA-
RAPPAHANNOCK VA-ROCKINGHAM VA-SHENANDOAH VA-SOUTHERN BALTIMORE MD-
SPOTSYLVANIA VA-ST. MARYS MD-STAFFORD VA-WARREN VA-WASHINGTON MD-
955 AM EDT SAT APR 23 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MARYLAND WEST OF THE
CHESAPEAKE BAY AND EAST OF GARRETT COUNTY...EASTERN WEST
VIRGINIA...NORTHERN AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND WASHINGTON DC.

.DAY ONE...
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TODAY ACROSS MUCH OF THE AREA
INCLUDING NORTHERN AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA...MARYLAND...THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA AND THE EASTERN WEST VIRGINIA PANHANDLE.

A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION THIS AFTERNOON. SHOWERS
AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE
COLD FRONT AND INTENSIFY AS THEY APPROACH FROM THE WEST.

THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP IN THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY
BETWEEN 11 AM AND 1 PM. EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE INCLUDING THE
WASHINGTON AND BALTIMORE METROPOLITAN AREAS...THUNDERSTORMS ARE
EXPECTED TO APPROACH THE AREA BETWEEN NOON AND 2 PM.

THE RISK OF SEVERE WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO END WEST OF THE BLUE
RIDGE LATE THIS AFTERNOON BETWEEN 3 PM AND 5 PM. THE SEVERE
WEATHER IS EXPECTED TO MOVE EAST OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY BETWEEN 5
PM AND 7 PM.

THE MAIN THREAT FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS TODAY WILL BE LARGE HAIL
OF PENNY SIZED OR LARGER AND DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH.
LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS ARE ALSO EXPECTED.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...
AFTER THE COLD FRONT...SNOW SHOWERS WILL BRING ACCUMULATING SNOW TO
THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS FROM FROSTBURG MARYLAND...DOWN THROUGH MOUNT
STORM AND SPRUCE MOUNTAIN IN WEST VIRGINIA...TO WESTERN HIGHLAND
COUNTY VIRGINIA. TWO TO FOUR INCHES OF SNOW CAN BE EXPECTED ON THIS
WESTERN RIDGELINE FROM EARLY SUNDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 AM MONDAY. A
SNOW ADVISORY HAS BEEN ISSUED FOR THAT AREA.

ALSO...LOW TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE
MOUNTAINS BOTH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING AND EARLY MONDAY MORNING.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS EXPECTED AROUND NOON TODAY...LASTING INTO THE
EARLY EVENING HOURS. ALSO...SNOW SPOTTER REPORTS ARE ENCOURAGED.

MANNING

In the hours before

Local storm report, Apr 23, 2:45 PM EST, 1 hour before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
345 PM EDT SAT APR 23 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0325 PM     HAIL             CHANCELLORSVILLE        38.30N 77.63W
04/23/2005  0.75 INCH        SPOTSYLVANIA       VA   OTHER FEDERAL

            REPORTED BY A PARK RANGER FROM THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

&&

Local storm report, Apr 23, 2:55 PM EST, 50 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
355 PM EDT SAT APR 23 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0325 PM     HAIL             CHANCELLORSVILLE        38.30N 77.63W
04/23/2005  0.75 INCH        SPOTSYLVANIA       VA   OTHER FEDERAL

            REPORTED BY A PARK RANGER FROM THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

0345 PM     HAIL             HARTWOOD                38.40N 77.57W
04/23/2005  0.75 INCH        STAFFORD           VA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            REPORT GIVEN BY HARTWOOD FIRE DEPARTMENT

&&

Local storm report, Apr 23, 3:17 PM EST, 28 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...SUMMARY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
417 PM EDT SAT APR 23 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0325 PM     HAIL             CHANCELLORSVILLE        38.30N 77.63W
04/23/2005  0.75 INCH        SPOTSYLVANIA       VA   OTHER FEDERAL

            REPORTED BY A PARK RANGER FROM THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

0345 PM     HAIL             HARTWOOD                38.40N 77.57W
04/23/2005  0.75 INCH        STAFFORD           VA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            REPORT GIVEN BY HARTWOOD FIRE DEPARTMENT

0410 PM     HAIL             QUANTICO                38.52N 77.29W
04/23/2005  1.75 INCH        PRINCE WILLIAM     VA   OTHER FEDERAL

            FROM TURNER FIELD OBSERVER

&&

Local storm report, Apr 23, 3:29 PM EST, 16 minutes before

PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
429 PM EDT SAT APR 23 2005

..TIME...   ...EVENT...      ...CITY LOCATION...     ...LAT.LON...
..DATE...   ....MAG....      ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
            ..REMARKS..

0325 PM     HAIL             CHANCELLORSVILLE        38.30N 77.63W
04/23/2005  0.75 INCH        SPOTSYLVANIA       VA   OTHER FEDERAL

            REPORTED BY A PARK RANGER FROM THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

0345 PM     HAIL             HARTWOOD                38.40N 77.57W
04/23/2005  0.75 INCH        STAFFORD           VA   LAW ENFORCEMENT

            REPORT GIVEN BY HARTWOOD FIRE DEPARTMENT

0410 PM     HAIL             WIDEWATER               38.46N 77.33W
04/23/2005  1.75 INCH        STAFFORD           VA   OTHER FEDERAL

            FROM TURNER FIELD OBSERVER

&&

The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 20 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:44 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

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

Hail, Montgomery

When: April 23, 3:45 PM EST to 3:50 PM EST
Where: Montgomery County, Poolesville
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: GENERAL PUBLIC
Coordinates: 39.150, -77.417

Thunderstorm Wind, Charles

When: April 23, 3:49 PM EST
Where: Charles County, Newburg
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 38.383, -76.950

Hail, Prince George'S

When: April 23, 4:00 PM EST
Where: Prince George'S County, Clinton
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: LAW ENFORCEMENT
Coordinates: 38.767, -76.900

Hail, Calvert

When: April 23, 4:23 PM EST
Where: Calvert County, Chesapeake Beach
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 38.683, -76.533

Hail, Baltimore

When: April 23, 4:30 PM EST
Where: Baltimore County, 2 mi S of Riderwood
Measured: 0.75 in hail
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 39.383, -76.650

Thunderstorm Wind, Anne Arundel

When: April 23, 4:30 PM EST
Where: Anne Arundel County, Riva
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 38.950, -76.583

Powerlines down

Hail, Baltimore

When: April 23, 4:41 PM EST
Where: Baltimore County, Owings Mills
Measured: 0.88 in hail
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER
Coordinates: 39.417, -76.783

Thunderstorm Wind, Baltimore

When: April 23, 4:50 PM EST
Where: Baltimore County, Owings Mills
Measured: 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 39.417, -76.783

Powerlines down

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

Every storm in Maryland in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Maryland, April 2005

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5450547, 5450548, 5450549, 5450550, 5450551, 5450552, 5450553, 5450554.