Hail, Spotsylvania
- When
- April 23, 2:25 PM EST
- Where
- Spotsylvania County, Chancellorsville
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY
- Coordinates
- 38.300, -77.633
Reported by the National Park Service
Hail in Virginia, April 23, 2005
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.
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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- None recorded
- 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.
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, 44 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 23, 1:41 PM EST, 44 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, 5 hours 30 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
Special weather statement, Apr 23, 8:48 AM EST, 5 hours 37 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 948 AM EDT SAT APR 23 2005 DCZ001-MDZ003>007-009>011-013-014-016>018-VAZ025>031-036>042- 050>057-WVZ050>053-055-232100- DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-WASHINGTON-FREDERICK MD-CARROLL- NORTHERN BALTIMORE-HARFORD-MONTGOMERY-HOWARD-SOUTHERN BALTIMORE- PRINCE GEORGES-ANNE ARUNDEL-CHARLES-ST. MARYS-CALVERT-AUGUSTA- ROCKINGHAM-SHENANDOAH-FREDERICK VA-PAGE-WARREN-CLARKE-NELSON- ALBEMARLE-GREENE-MADISON-RAPPAHANNOCK-FAUQUIER-LOUDOUN-ORANGE- CULPEPER-PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK-FAIRFAX- ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA-STAFFORD-SPOTSYLVANIA- KING GEORGE-HAMPSHIRE-MORGAN-BERKELEY-JEFFERSON-HARDY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WASHINGTON...HAGERSTOWN...FREDERICK... WESTMINSTER...GAITHERSBURG...COLUMBIA...BALTIMORE...ANNAPOLIS... WALDORF...ST MARYS CITY...STAUNTON...WAYNESBORO...HARRISONBURG... WINCHESTER...FRONT ROYAL...CHARLOTTESVILLE...LEESBURG... CULPEPER...MANASSAS...MANASSAS PARK...FAIRFAX...ALEXANDRIA... FALLS CHURCH...FREDERICKSBURG...MARTINSBURG...CHARLES TOWN 948 AM EDT SAT APR 23 2005 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED TODAY... 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 TEH 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. THOSE WITH OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES THIS AFTERNOON SHOULD KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR THE LATER UPDATES ON THIS SITUATION. MANNING
Special weather statement, Apr 23, 8:48 AM EST, 5 hours 37 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT...CORRECTED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 948 AM EDT SAT APR 23 2005 DCZ001-MDZ003>007-009>011-013-014-016>018-VAZ025>031-036>042- 050>057-WVZ050>053-055-232100- DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-WASHINGTON-FREDERICK MD-CARROLL- NORTHERN BALTIMORE-HARFORD-MONTGOMERY-HOWARD-SOUTHERN BALTIMORE- PRINCE GEORGES-ANNE ARUNDEL-CHARLES-ST. MARYS-CALVERT-AUGUSTA- ROCKINGHAM-SHENANDOAH-FREDERICK VA-PAGE-WARREN-CLARKE-NELSON- ALBEMARLE-GREENE-MADISON-RAPPAHANNOCK-FAUQUIER-LOUDOUN-ORANGE- CULPEPER-PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK-FAIRFAX- ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA-STAFFORD-SPOTSYLVANIA- KING GEORGE-HAMPSHIRE-MORGAN-BERKELEY-JEFFERSON-HARDY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WASHINGTON...HAGERSTOWN...FREDERICK... WESTMINSTER...GAITHERSBURG...COLUMBIA...BALTIMORE...ANNAPOLIS... WALDORF...ST MARYS CITY...STAUNTON...WAYNESBORO...HARRISONBURG... WINCHESTER...FRONT ROYAL...CHARLOTTESVILLE...LEESBURG... CULPEPER...MANASSAS...MANASSAS PARK...FAIRFAX...ALEXANDRIA... FALLS CHURCH...FREDERICKSBURG...MARTINSBURG...CHARLES TOWN 948 AM EDT SAT APR 23 2005 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED TODAY... 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. THOSE WITH OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES THIS AFTERNOON SHOULD KEEP AN EYE ON THE SKY AND BE PREPARED TO SEEK SAFE SHELTER IF THREATENING WEATHER APPROACHES. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR YOUR LOCAL MEDIA FOR THE LATER UPDATES ON THIS SITUATION. MANNING
The radar
The Sterling radar (KLWX), 76 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 19:25 UTC.
Event by event
4 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail, Stafford
- When
- April 23, 2:45 PM EST
- Where
- Stafford County, Hartwood
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 38.417, -77.567
Hail, Stafford
- When
- April 23, 3:10 PM EST to 3:20 PM EST
- Where
- Stafford County, Widewater
- Measured
- 1.75 in hail
- Reported by
- OTHER FEDERAL AGENCY
- Coordinates
- 38.467, -77.333
Report from Quantico Marine Corps Facility
Hail, Falls Church (C)
- When
- April 23, 3:50 PM EST
- Where
- Falls Church (C) County, Falls Church
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 38.883, -77.183
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Winter Storm in Ohio, April 23 to 25, 2005
- Tornado in Florida, April 23, 2005
- Tornado in Florida, April 23, 2005
- Lightning Strike in Pennsylvania, April 23, 2005
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Arizona, April 23, 2005
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Virginia, April 23, 2005
- Winter Storm in Michigan, April 23 to 24, 2005
- Winter Weather in North Carolina, April 23 to 24, 2005
- Heavy Snow and Heavy Rain in Utah, April 23 to 25, 2005
- Marine Thunderstorm Winds in North Atlantic Coastal Waters, April 23, 2005
- Hail and Damaging Wind in North Carolina, April 23, 2005
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Maryland, April 23, 2005
More
Every storm in Virginia in 2005Every state in 2005This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, 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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5450543, 5450544, 5450545, 5450546.