Hail, Grant
- When
- July 18, 1:35 PM EST
- Where
- Grant County, Petersburg Grant Arp
- Measured
- 0.75 in hail
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 39.000, -79.150
Penny sized hail.
Flash Flood and Hail in West Virginia, July 18, 2006
An approaching cold front combined with a very hot and humid airmass to generate severe thunderstorms around much of the Mid Atlantic on July 18. Reports were received from the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, through the Washington/Baltimore corridor, to the Chesapeake Bay.
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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $908,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 11
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.
An approaching cold front combined with a very hot and humid airmass to generate severe thunderstorms around much of the Mid Atlantic on July 18. Reports were received from the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia, through the Washington/Baltimore corridor, to the Chesapeake Bay. The most intense of the severe storms occurred in the Berkeley Springs, WV area, where the worst damages occurred, and a report of tennis-ball sized hall was also reported. Other portions of the Eastern Panhandle experienced extensive flash flooding during this severe weather episode as well.
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 Jul 18, 9:30 AM EST, 4 hours 5 minutes earlier.
Area forecast discussion, Jul 18, 9:30 AM EST, 4 hours 5 minutes before
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
1030 AM EDT TUE JUL 18 2006
.UPDATE...HV ADDED ALL COUNTIES E OF THE BLUE RDG W/ XCTPN OF
NELSON. CHO IS 4C AHD OF WHERE THEY WERE YDA AT SAME TIME. FEEL THIS
IS A PRUDENT ACTION.
JUST LISTENED IN ON HRCN CONF CALL - WELL BE DOING INTERMEDIATE
SNDGS UNTIL LOW WELL SE OF NC GETS WELL AWAY FM RGN.
HAPPILY COOLER AIR IS ON THE WAY. WK FNT ON US/CAN BORDER WL HELP TO
INTIATE CNVCTN ACROSS PA THIS AFTN. NRN MD IN SLT RISK FOR AFTN.
MOST LKLY SCENARIO WL BE TO WATCH STORMS FIRE IN PA AND WORK THEIR
WAY SWD. MIN HELICITY...BUT CAPE INXS OF 4000...PULSE SVR MOST LKLY.
JUL 18 9 AM - WARMER IN BTV VT THAN JAX FL. CRAZY.
WOODY
.SHORT TERM...TODAY AND TNGT...
DEWPOINTS ARE EXPECTED TO BE A BIT STEAMIER TODAY WITH SIMILAR TEMPS
TO YDAY...UPPER 90S TO AROUND 100 IN THE METROS...THEREFORE HEAT
ADVISORY REMAINS IN PLACE. HEAT INDEX VALUES OF 105-109 ARE LIKELY
IN THE HEAT ADVISORY AREA...PARTICULARLY IN THE URBAN AREAS OF
DC/BALTIMORE.
BY LATE AFTN FRONTAL BNDRY SAGS SOUTH FROM THE ERN LAKES AND
APPROACHES THE MID ATLC. THIS BNDRY SHOULD BECOME A FOCUS FOR
CONVECTION LATE AFTN AND TNGT. HAVE ACTUALLY TRIMMED POPS FOR THIS
AFTN WITH BEST COVERAGE OF 30-40 POPS OVER THE NW. SUBSEQUENTLY SPC
HAS ALSO TRIMMED THE SLGT RISK AREA TO THE NW SO THAT ONLY THE NW
MOST PORTION OF OUR AREA IS IN THE SLGT RISK. THIS IS CLOSER TO THE
BETTER LAPSE RATES AND CONVERGENCE ZONE ALONG THE FRONT. BDRY LYR
MOISTURE WILL BE FAVORABLE FOR CONVECTION LATE AFTN INTO THE EVNG
ESP IN THE NW. WILL MAINTAIN CHC MENTION FOR TSTMS DURING THE EVNG.
&&
.LONG TERM...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY
NOT SURE THE WORD COOLER IS APROPOS TO DESCRIBE MAX T ON
WED...HOWEVER THE NAM AND GFS SHOW A BACKDOOR FRONT MAKING IT FAR
ENOUGH SOUTH FOR A NORTHEAST WIND TO HOLD MAX T ABOUT 10 DEG F LOWER
THAN TUESDAY/S MAX T. LATEST MET GUIDANCE HAS COME IN EVEN
LOWER...BUT PREFER THE MAV GUIDANCE FOR NOW. IN ADDITION...BOTH
MODELS SHOW SOME CONVERGENCE/UPWARD MOTION...ESPECIALLY IN THE
AFTERNOON/EVENING COINCIDENT WITH SOME INSTABILITY. HAVE RAISED POPS
FROM 20-ISH TO 30-ISH ACROSS THE BOARD...DROPPING TO 10 AFTER
MIDNIGHT.
A FEW LATE AFTERNOON/EVENING TSRA CAN/T BE RULED OUT ON THU EITHER.
THE NAM SHOWS CLOSED SFC LOW PRESSURE OFF THE NC CAROLINA COAST.
THIS MAY BE A LITTLE TOO DEEP...BUT IF IT DOES PAN OUT...ANY
CONVECTION ASSOCIATED WITH IT SHOULD REMAIN TO OUR SOUTHEAST...AND
WE MAY IN FACT BE IN A SUBSIDENCE ZONE...BEFORE A COLD FRONT TO OUR
NORTHWEST CAN GET CLOSE ENOUGH BY FRI...PROBABLY MAKING IT THROUGH
FRIDAY EVENING. SHOULD BE SCATTERED CONVECTION WITH THE FRONT. TEMPS
WILL EXHIBIT A QUICK HEAT UP FRI (UP TO 95?) BEFORE...
SAT AND SUN...MAX T GET KNOCKED BACK DOWN BELOW 90. LATEST MEX MOS
EVEN FAVORS MORE LIKE MID 80S. MEX MOS ALSO HIGHLIGHTS HIGH POPS
OVER THE WEEKEND. AM GOING TO KEEP SAT DRY FOR NOW WITH FRONT TO THE
SOUTH...BUT LEFTOVER BOUNDARY WILL RISE BACK NORTH BY SUN AS A
SHORTWAVE APPROACHES...FOR CHC OF TSRA. IF FRONT RISES BACK
SOONER...POPS MAY BE NECESSARY ON SAT.
&&
.AVIATION...
NO SIG CONCERNS.
&&
.MARINE...
NO SIG CONCERNS ON THE WATERS.
&&
.LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
DC...HEAT ADVISORY FOR DCZ001 UNTIL 8 PM TUESDAY.
MD...HEAT ADVISORY FOR MDZ004>007-009>011-013-014-016>018 UNTIL 8
PM TUESDAY.
VA...HEAT ADVISORY FOR VAZ037>042-050>057 UNTIL 8 PM TUESDAY.
WV...NONE.
MARINE...NONE.
&&Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 18, 11:27 AM EST, 2 hours 8 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 1227 PM EDT TUE JUL 18 2006 ANZ530>537-DCZ001-MDZ002>007-009>011-013-014-016>018-VAZ021- 025>031-036>042-050>057-WVZ048>055-191000- CHESAPEAKE BAY NORTH OF POOLES ISLAND MD- CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM POOLES ISLAND TO SANDY POINT MD- CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM SANDY POINT TO NORTH BEACH MD- CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM NORTH BEACH TO DRUM POINT MD- CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM DRUM POINT MD TO SMITH POINT VA- TIDAL POTOMAC FROM KEY BRIDGE TO INDIAN HEAD MD- TIDAL POTOMAC FROM INDIAN HEAD TO COBB ISLAND MD- TIDAL POTOMAC FROM COBB ISLAND MD TO SMITH POINT VA- DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-ALLEGANY-WASHINGTON-FREDERICK MD-CARROLL- NORTHERN BALTIMORE-HARFORD-MONTGOMERY-HOWARD-SOUTHERN BALTIMORE- PRINCE GEORGES-ANNE ARUNDEL-CHARLES-ST. MARYS-CALVERT-HIGHLAND- 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-GRANT-MINERAL-HAMPSHIRE-MORGAN-BERKELEY-JEFFERSON- PENDLETON-HARDY- 1227 PM EDT TUE JUL 18 2006 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR MARYLAND WEST OF THE EASTERN SHORE INCLUDING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND EAST OF GARRETT COUNTY...EASTERN WEST VIRGINIA...NORTHERN AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA... WASHINGTON DC AND THE TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT A HEAT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE BALTIMORE AND WASHINGTON METRO REGION...EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS...AND LOWER SOUTHERN MARYLAND FOR THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. HEAT INDEX VALUES AROUND 105 WILL BE LIKELY DURING THE MID AND LATE AFTERNOON. IN ADDITION...AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES LATE IN THE DAY AND THIS EVENING...A FEW THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP MAY BECOME SEVERE. NORTHERN MARYLAND AND A PORTION OF THE EASTERN WEST VIRGINIA PANHANDLE HAVE BEEN OUTLOOKED AS HAVING A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. THE PRIMARY THREAT WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY TROPICAL DEPRESSION 2 HAS FORMED SOUTHEAST OF THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THIS WILL TRACK INTO THE LOWER CHESAPEAKE BAY ON THURSDAY...AND BRING TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS INTO THE MARYLAND PORTION OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NECESSARY LATE TODAY AND THIS EVENING.
In the hours before
Special weather statement, Jul 18, 11:56 AM EST, 1 hour 39 minutes before
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 1256 PM EDT TUE JUL 18 2006 DCZ001-MDZ002>007-009>011-013-014-016>018-VAZ026>031-037>042- 050>057-WVZ048>055-182300- DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-ALLEGANY-WASHINGTON-FREDERICK MD-CARROLL- NORTHERN BALTIMORE-HARFORD-MONTGOMERY-HOWARD-SOUTHERN BALTIMORE- PRINCE GEORGES-ANNE ARUNDEL-CHARLES-ST. MARYS-CALVERT-ROCKINGHAM- SHENANDOAH-FREDERICK VA-PAGE-WARREN-CLARKE-ALBEMARLE-GREENE- MADISON-RAPPAHANNOCK-FAUQUIER-LOUDOUN-ORANGE-CULPEPER- PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK-FAIRFAX- ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA-STAFFORD-SPOTSYLVANIA- KING GEORGE-GRANT-MINERAL-HAMPSHIRE-MORGAN-BERKELEY-JEFFERSON- PENDLETON-HARDY- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WASHINGTON...CUMBERLAND...HAGERSTOWN... FREDERICK...WESTMINSTER...GAITHERSBURG...COLUMBIA...BALTIMORE... ANNAPOLIS...WALDORF...ST MARYS CITY...HARRISONBURG...WINCHESTER... FRONT ROYAL...CHARLOTTESVILLE...LEESBURG...CULPEPER...MANASSAS... MANASSAS PARK...FAIRFAX...ALEXANDRIA...FALLS CHURCH... FREDERICKSBURG...BAYARD...PETERSBURG...KEYSER...MARTINSBURG... CHARLES TOWN 1256 PM EDT TUE JUL 18 2006 ...SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE STORMS LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING... A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE REGION THIS EVENING. DUE TO THE APPROACH OF THE COLD FRONT...COMBINED WITH THE VERY HOT AND HUMID AIRMASS REMAINING OVER THE MID ATLANTIC...THERE WILL BE THE POTENTIAL FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. THE MOST LIKELY TIME FOR SEVERE STORMS WOULD BE BETWEEN 5 PM AND MIDNIGHT. THE PRIMARY THREAT WILL BE FROM DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED LATE THIS AFTERNOON OR EVENING ACROSS WESTERN MARYLAND AND THE EASTERN PANHANDLE OF WEST VIRGINIA. MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO FOR THE LATEST INFORMATION... FORECASTS AND POSSIBLE WATCHES OR WARNINGS.
The radar
The Sterling radar (KLWX), 144 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:36 UTC.
Event by event
7 hail, 3 thunderstorm wind, 1 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail, Grant
- When
- July 18, 1:58 PM EST
- Where
- Grant County, 4 mi S of Petersburg
- Measured
- 1.75 in hail
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 38.950, -79.117
Golfball sized hail occurred along North Creek Road.
Hail, Grant
- When
- July 18, 2:30 PM EST
- Where
- Grant County, Petersburg
- Measured
- 0.88 in hail
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 39.000, -79.117
Nickel sized hail.
Hail, Morgan
- When
- July 18, 3:18 PM EST to 3:25 PM EST
- Where
- Morgan County, Berkeley Spgs
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 39.633, -78.233
Quarter sized hail.
Thunderstorm Wind, Pendleton
- When
- July 18, 3:30 PM EST
- Where
- Pendleton County, 1 mi N of Franklin
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 38.667, -79.333
Trees down.
Hail, Morgan
- When
- July 18, 4:30 PM EST to 4:35 PM EST
- Where
- Morgan County, Berkeley Spgs
- Measured
- 2.5 in hail
- Property damage
- $750,000
- Reported by
- NEWSPAPER
- Coordinates
- 39.633, -78.233
Hail to the size of tennis balls was reported at a local business in Berkeley Springs. Newspaper reports indicated roughly 100 cars were damaged by the very large hail stones.
Thunderstorm Wind, Morgan
- When
- July 18, 4:35 PM EST
- Where
- Morgan County, Berkeley Spgs
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $13,000
- Reported by
- AMATEUR RADIO
- Coordinates
- 39.633, -78.233
Trees were downed in Berkeley Springs.
Hail, Hampshire
- When
- July 18, 4:53 PM EST
- Where
- Hampshire County, Forks of Cacaoh
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 39.400, -78.600
Quarter sized hail.
Thunderstorm Wind, Berkeley
- When
- July 18, 5:10 PM EST
- Where
- Berkeley County, Hedgesville
- Measured
- 50 kt (58 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $10,000
- Reported by
- LAW ENFORCEMENT
- Coordinates
- 39.550, -78.000
Trees down.
Hail, Morgan
- When
- July 18, 6:02 PM EST
- Where
- Morgan County, 5 mi WSW of Berkeley Spgs
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- TRAINED SPOTTER
- Coordinates
- 39.600, -78.317
Quarter sized hail.
Flash Flood, Morgan
- When
- July 18, 7:13 PM EST to 9:30 PM EST
- Where
- Morgan County, Berkeley Spgs
- Property damage
- $125,000
- Reported by
- GOVT OFFICIAL
- Coordinates
- 39.560, -78.258 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)
Warm Springs Run was out of its banks. The Emergency Services Director stated that the flash flooding just south of Berkeley Springs was the worst experienced in the past 30 years. Some street flooding and closed streets was reported in downtown Berkeley Springs. The Berkeley Springs high school sustained damages in the school cafeteria. The basement walls of a house in Berkeley Springs collapsed due to the heavy rainfall. Mesner Road near Libby's Ridge Road sustained damages. Several vehicles were stranded in high water along US Route 522 just south of Berkeley Springs. A few other roads were washed out due to the flash flooding.
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.
- Flash Flood
- Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Heat in Maryland, July 18, 2006
- Damaging Wind in Pennsylvania, July 18, 2006
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Indiana, July 18, 2006
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Vermont, July 18, 2006
- Damaging Wind in Arizona, July 18, 2006
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Maine, July 18, 2006
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Maryland, July 18, 2006
- Hail and Damaging Wind in Mississippi, July 18, 2006
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Indiana, July 18, 2006
- Hail and Lightning Strike in Mississippi, July 18, 2006
- Lightning Strike in Maine, July 18, 2006
- Hail and Damaging Winds in Rhode Island, July 18, 2006
More
Every storm in West Virginia in 2006Every state in 2006This day in weather historyWarnings in West Virginia, July 2006
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: 5520167, 5520168, 5520169, 5520172, 5520171, 5520170, 5520221, 5520222, 5520223, 5520224, 5520225.