A cold front over the Mid Atlantic combined with a warm and moist atmosphere sparked scattered thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening of June 23rd. Some of the thunderstorms became severe, producing damaging winds and large hail.
Every event with a place to put it. 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 episode as NWS LWX wrote it up.
A cold front over the Mid Atlantic combined with a warm and moist atmosphere sparked scattered thunderstorms during the afternoon and evening of June 23rd. Some of the thunderstorms became severe, producing damaging winds and large hail. Winds lead to tent damage at the Smithburg Fire Station Carnival. Near Ringgold, large hail destroyed hundreds of acres of corn, and the hail covered the ground with a depth of 1.4 inches.
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 Jun 23, 4:20 PM EST, 1 hour 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 520 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION LATE TONIGHT. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED ALONG AND AHEAD OF THIS FRONT. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE REGION BEHIND THIS FRONT FOR TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY. A SERIES OF DISTURBANCES WILL PASS THROUGH THE REGION BRINGING A CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS LATE IN THE WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 10 PM THIS EVENING/... WE SAT ON NOT ISSUING THE WATCH AS LONG AS POSSIBLE WITH MARGINAL STBLTY ...THEN WE STARTED TO RECEIVE PENNY HAIL REPORTS DOWN IN PAGE/MADISON COUNTIES AND IN COORD WITH SPC PULLED THE TRIGGER. 18Z NAM HAS STRONG UVV SIGNATURE ACROSS REGION AT 8 PM TONIGHT. ALTHO STABILITY IS MARGINAL...BELIEVE INCOMING DYNAMICS ARE SOLID FOR ENUF SVR TSTMS TO WARRANT THE WATCH. && .SHORT TERM /10 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 PM TUESDAY/... CONVECTION WILL DIMINISH AS THE FRONT MOVES EAST OF THE AREA. THE NAM AND GFS HAS THIS BETWEEN 06Z AND 12Z. BEST INSTABILITY WILL BE WELL BEFORE THAT...LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING...BUT LINGERING CONVECTION WILL MAINTAIN WITH WEAK INSTABILITY AFTER MIDNIGHT. WINDS WILL REMAIN LIGHT OVERNIGHT WITH THE SLOW MOVING FRONT AND NOT A GREAT DEAL OF COOL ADVECTION. THIS WILL ALLOW PATCHY FOG TO DEVELOP. FOR NOW...WILL LEAVE THIS OUT OF THE ZONES DUE TO UNCERTAINTY IN TIMING OF PRECIPITATION AND LET LATER SHIFTS EVALUATE. WEAK HIGH PRESSURE EXPECTED FOR TUESDAY BEHIND THE FRONT. TEMPERATURES ARE NOT REALLY IMPACTED COMPARED TO THE PAST FEW DAYS...MOS ACTUALLY HAS TEMPERATURES WARMER THAN PREVIOUS DAYS. WEAK NORTHWEST FLOW WILL ALLOW SUBSIDENCE ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION...BUT COLD POOL ALOFT WILL BRING THE THREAT OF ISOLATED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS IN THE NORTHEAST. && .LONG TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/... MODELS CONTINUE TO SHOW GOOD AGREEMENT WITH HIGH PRESSURE RESIDING ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC ON WEDNESDAY. TIME SERIES OF STABILITY SHOW A RELATIVE MINIMUM OF INSTABILITY ON WEDNESDAY...WHICH SHOULD ENSURE DRY CONDITIONS. THURSDAY WILL BE A TRANSITION DAY...AS STABILITY TIME SERIES SHOW INCREASING INSTABILITY THROUGH THE REST OF THE WEEK. THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO HIGH PRESSURE MOVING OFF THE EASTERN SEABOARD AND A SOUTHERLY FLOW DEVELOPING. THIS WILL BRING A RETURN TO TYPICAL SUMMERTIME WEATHER...WITH HIGH TEMPERATURES FRIDAY/SATURDAY FLIRTING WITH 90 DEGREES AND DEWPOINTS NEAR 70 DEGREES. AT THE VERY LEAST...DIURNAL CONVECTION WILL BECOME MORE COMMON. THIS WILL MORE THAN LIKELY HAPPEN WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE ON THURSDAY THE TRANSITION DAY /ALTHOUGH 12Z NAM AND GFS INDICATE CONVECTION COULD AFFECT MORE AREAS/...THEN THE ENTIRE CWA WILL BE VULNERABLE FRIDAY/SATURDAY. THERE IS THE CHANCE THAT CONVECTION MAY BE MORE ORGANIZED AND POSSIBLY NOT RESTRICTED TO THE DIURNAL CYCLE IF BOUNDARIES /WHETHER SYNOPTIC OR MESOSCALE/ AND UPPER AIR DISTURBANCES AFFECT THE CWA. BOTH THE ECMWF AND GFS INDICATE THIS HAPPENING...BUT TIMING SUCH EVENTS REMAINS DIFFICULT THIS FAR OUT. BLENDING OPERATIONAL GFS/ECMWF WITH MEDIUM RANGE ENSEMBLES...A FRONT IS FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS THE CWA OVER THE WEEKEND...ALTHOUGH THE LATEST 12Z GFS WANTS TO DELAY IT FURTHER. FOR NOW...WILL FAVOR A SUNDAY FROPA WITH DRIER LOWER DEWPOINT AIR FOLLOWING ON MONDAY...THE NEW DAY 7. && .AVIATION /21Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THROUGH MID TO LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING...ENDING FROM WEST TO EAST AFTER MIDNIGHT. THE STRONGEST STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HAIL AND GUSTY WINDS. HAVE CONTINUED THE TEMPO GROUPS IN EACH TAF GROUP WITH THE 18Z PACKAGE...BUT WILL NEED TO WATCH FOR NEAR-TERM AMENDMENTS AS THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP AND APPROACH TERMINALS. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN FOR WEDNESDAY...THEN MOVES OFF THE COAST THURSDAY. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES WILL BE ON THE INCREASE LATE IN THE WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND. && .MARINE... SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP LATE IN THE AFTERNOON AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE EVENING AND EVEN MUCH OF THE OVERNIGHT HOURS ACROSS THE WATERS AS A COLD FRONT MAKES ITS WAY THROUGH THE REGION. MODERATE INSTABILITY WILL ALLOW SOME OF THE STORMS TO BECOME SEVERE AND MOST LIKELY PROMPT SPECIAL MARINE WARNINGS. HIGH PRESSURE AND NORTHWEST WINDS WILL DEVELOP FOR TUESDAY...REMAINING BELOW SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CRITERIA. HIGH PRESSURE OVER THE WATERS WEDNESDAY WILL MOVE OFF THE COAST THURSDAY. THIS WILL BRING WINDS BACK TO THE SOUTH TOWARD WEEKS END. CURRENT GRIDS WILL REFLECT WINDS AROUND 10 KT ATTM. && .LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... DC...NONE. MD...NONE. VA...NONE. WV...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...SAR NEAR TERM...LEE SHORT TERM...SAR LONG TERM...BPP AVIATION...BPP/SAR MARINE...BPP/SAR
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 510 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 ANZ530>537-DCZ001-MDZ006-007-011-013-014-016>018-VAZ052>057- 241015- 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-NORTHERN BALTIMORE-HARFORD- SOUTHERN BALTIMORE-PRINCE GEORGES-ANNE ARUNDEL-CHARLES-ST. MARYS- CALVERT-PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK-FAIRFAX- ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA-STAFFORD-SPOTSYLVANIA- KING GEORGE- 510 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE MARYLAND PORTION OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY...TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER...AND ADJACENT COUNTIES IN CENTRAL MARYLAND AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA AS WELL AS THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 PM. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS EVENING AS A COLD FRONT SLOWLY MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE...PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. THE MOST LIKELY TIME FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE FROM 5 PM TO 10 PM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN HAS BEEN ACTIVATED THIS EVENING. MDZ003>005-009-010-501-502-VAZ021-025>031-036>042-050-051- WVZ050>055-501>504-241015- WASHINGTON-FREDERICK MD-CARROLL-MONTGOMERY-HOWARD- EXTREME WESTERN ALLEGANY-CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALLEGANY-HIGHLAND- AUGUSTA-ROCKINGHAM-SHENANDOAH-FREDERICK VA-PAGE-WARREN-CLARKE- NELSON-ALBEMARLE-GREENE-MADISON-RAPPAHANNOCK-FAUQUIER-LOUDOUN- ORANGE-CULPEPER-HAMPSHIRE-MORGAN-BERKELEY-JEFFERSON-PENDLETON- HARDY-WESTERN GRANT-EASTERN GRANT-WESTERN MINERAL-EASTERN MINERAL- 510 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN WEST VIRGINIA... NORTHERN AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA...AND CENTRAL AND WESTERN MARYLAND WITH THE EXCEPTION OF GARRETT COUNTY. .DAY ONE...TONIGHT A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT TONIGHT FROM JUST WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE TO THE CHESAPEAKE BAY. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS THUNDERSTORMS WILL DEVELOP THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING AS A COLD FRONT SLOWLY MOVES THROUGH THE AREA. SOME OF THE STORMS MAY BECOME SEVERE...PRODUCING LARGE HAIL AND DAMAGING WINDS. THE MOST LIKELY TIME FOR SEVERE WEATHER WILL BE FROM 5 PM TO 10 PM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN HAS BEEN ACTIVATED THIS EVENING.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 549 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 DCZ001-MDZ009-VAZ053-054-232215- DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DC-MONTGOMERY MD- ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA VA-FAIRFAX VA- 549 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA...ARLINGTON...SOUTHERN MONTGOMERY AND NORTHERN FAIRFAX COUNTIES... AT 549 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER BELLEVIEW...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND A BRIEF HEAVY RAIN ARE ALSO EXPECTED. THE COMMUNITIES OF CABIN JOHN...GLEN ECHO...BETHESDA...SOMERSET... CHEVY CHASE SECTION FIVE...CHEVY CHASE SECTION THREE...CHEVY CHASE... SILVER SPRING...FOUR CORNERS AND TAKOMA PARK MAY BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM. ROGOWSKI
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 555 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 VAZ037-039-050-051-232230- ORANGE VA-MADISON VA-CULPEPER VA-ALBEMARLE VA- 555 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT WESTERN ORANGE...SOUTHERN MADISON...SOUTHERN CULPEPER AND NORTHEAST ALBEMARLE COUNTIES... AT 555 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 2 MILES NORTHEAST OF BARBOURSVILLE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 23 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND A BRIEF HEAVY RAIN ARE ALSO EXPECTED. THE COMMUNITY OF ORANGE MAY BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM. ROGOWSKI
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 604 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 VAZ052-232230- PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK VA- 604 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK COUNTY... AT 604 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER ADEN...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH. THE COMMUNITIES OF BULL RUN AND ADEN WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM. RESIDENTS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD REMAIN ALERT IN CASE WARNINGS ARE ISSUED. PELOQUIN
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
607 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0600 PM HAIL 2 NNW SUMERDUCK 38.49N 77.74W
06/23/2008 E0.75 INCH FAUQUIER VA TRAINED SPOTTER
&&
SMZSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 614 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 MDZ013-016>018-232300- PRINCE GEORGES MD-CALVERT MD-CHARLES MD-ST. MARYS MD- 614 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT FAR SOUTHERN PRINCE GEORGES...SOUTHERN CALVERT...CHARLES AND NORTHERN ST. MARYS COUNTIES... AT 614 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER PORT TOBACCO...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND A BRIEF HEAVY RAIN ARE ALSO EXPECTED. THE COMMUNITIES OF ST. CHARLES...GOLDEN BEACH...PRINCE FREDERICK AND LUSBY WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM. ROGOWSKI
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 616 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 MDZ013-014-232300- ANNE ARUNDEL MD-PRINCE GEORGES MD- 616 PM EDT MON JUN 23 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT ANNE ARUNDEL AND NORTHERN PRINCE GEORGES COUNTIES... AT 616 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER NEW CARROLLTON...MOVING EAST AT 21 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH. DANGEROUS CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING AND A BRIEF HEAVY RAIN ARE ALSO EXPECTED. THE COMMUNITIES OF SPRINGDALE...MITCHELLVILLE...GLENN DALE... WOODMORE...BOWIE...DAVIDSONVILLE...RIVA...EDGEWATER...PAROLE AND LONDONTOWNE MAY BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM. ROGOWSKI
The Sterling radar (KLWX), 65 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 22:25 UTC.
5 thunderstorm wind, 4 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
Law enforcement reported trees down near Bowie.
Law enforcement reported large tree limbs down near Carrico Mill Road.
Law enforcement reported trees down near Chesterfield and St. Stephens Church Roads.
A trained spotter reported considerable tent damage at the Smithsburg Fire Department.
A trained spotter reported penny-sized hail at the Smithsburg Fire Department.
A trained spotter reported quarter-sized hail.
Law enforcement reported trees down on Snow Hill Manor Road.
Amateur radio relayed a report of quarter-sized hail.
A trained spotter reported hail covering the ground with a depth of 1 to 2 inches. Hundreds of acres of corn was destroyed.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Maryland in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Maryland, June 2008
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: 108622, 108621, 108618, 108632, 108637, 108642, 108623, 108644, 108648.