A cold front crossed the Mid Atlantic from west to east during the late evening of May 18th. Scattered strong thunderstorms developed ahead of the front.
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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 crossed the Mid Atlantic from west to east during the late evening of May 18th. Scattered strong thunderstorms developed ahead of the front. One of the storms produced hail in southern Baltimore County.
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 May 18, 2:04 PM EST, 2 hours 5 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 304 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2008 .SYNOPSIS... A SERIES OF DISTURBANCES WILL AFFECT THE REGION THROUGH MID WEEK RESULTING IN UNSETTLED WEATHER. TONIGHT...A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE EAST OF THE BAY THIS EVENING. THEN HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS BEHIND THE FRONT AND CONTINUES ON MONDAY. THE NEXT AREA OF LOW PRES WILL MOVE EAST ACROSS THE MID ATLANTIC ON TUESDAY AND OFF THE COAST TUESDAY NIGHT. A REINFORCING COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION WEDNESDAY. THEN COOL AND DRY CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE WILL SETTLE OVER THE REGION THURSDAY AND CONTINUE THROUGH THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. TEMPERATURES THROUGHOUT THE FORECAST PERIOD WILL BE BELOW NORMAL. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... COLD FRONT WAS MARCHING THROUGH WEST VIRGINIA THIS AFTERNOON. INSTABILITY AHEAD OF THE FRONT ACROSS OUR CWA HAS BEEN GREATLY LIMITED...IN PART FROM CLOUDS AND SOME SHOWERS THIS MORNING. INSTABILITY IS FORECAST TO REMAIN RELATIVELY LIMITED THROUGH THE REST OF THIS AFTERNOON AS A COLD FRONT MOVES EAST THROUGH THE CWA. ANY LOCATIONS WITH SOME BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS COULD MUSTER A COUPLE HUNDRED J/KG OF CAPE...BUT THIS MAY WIND UP BEING MORE THE EXCEPTION THAN THE RULE. HOWEVER...EVEN WITH A RELATIVE LACK OF INSTABILITY...SHEAR IS DECENT ACROSS THE CWA. CONVECTIVE ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN POOR THUS FAR...BUT WITH DECENT SHEAR MENTIONED ABOVE...SOME ADDITIONAL ORGANIZATION /LINEAR MODE/ MAY BE ABLE TO BECOME MORE PRONOUNCED LATE THIS AFTERNOON. IF THIS HAPPENS...THEN THERE WILL BE A MARGINAL SEVERE RISK FOR DAMAGING WINDS. OTHERWISE...SHOWERS AND PERHAPS A FEW THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE EAST AHEAD OF THE COLD FRONT THROUGH EARLY THIS EVENING. FRONT SHOULD BE EAST OF THE BAY BY 6 PM. WILL ALSO HAVE TO WATCH CONVECTION UNDER THE COLD UPPER TROUGH DEVELOPING OFF LAKE ERIE. SOME OF THIS COULD MAKE IT INTO OUR NORTHWEST CWA BEFORE DISSIPATING. THERE COULD BE A GUSTY WIND/SMALL HAIL THREAT HERE WITH COLDER AIR ALOFT. SO WHILE HIGHEST POPS WILL BE EAST OF THE MTNS ALONG THE COLD FRONT...WILL KEEP CHANCE POPS FURTHER NORTHWEST CLOSER TO THE COLD UPPER TROUGH. && .SHORT TERM /MONDAY/... UPPER TROUGH AXIS WILL HAVE MOVED OFF THE MID ATLANTIC COAST BY MONDAY MORNING. COOL AIR ALOFT ALOFT WILL ALLOW SOME STRATOCU FOR PARTLY SUNNY SKIES. MORE NOTICEABLY...A TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL ALLOW FOR GUSTY WINDS...POSSIBLY UP TO 35 MPH. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... AN UNSETTLED PERIOD CONTINUE INTO THE EXTENDED. UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE AREA OVER NEW ENGLAND EARLY IN THE WEEK WILL EVENTUALLY MOVE FURTHER NE INTO THE CANADIAN MARITIMES ALLOWING MORE SETTLED WEATHER INTO THE REGION AFTER MID WEEK. ON TUE...LOW PRES WILL PASS ACROSS THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION. SOME DISCREPANCY IN THE VARIOUS MODELS/ENSEMBLES IN JUST WHERE THE LOW CROSSES. SEVERAL MODELS...INCLUDING THE ECMWF...TRACK THE SFC LOW SOUTH ACROSS SRN VA. THERE COULD BE A SHARP N-S GRADIENT IN PRECIP POTENTIAL ON TUE. HOWEVER...THE SREF/S HAVE BEEN FAIRLY CONSISTENT IN MAINTAING HIGH POP...LKLY...OVER OUR CWA ON TUE. HENCE...WILL CONTINUE THE LIKELY POPS ON TUE...AND SHADE TEMPS DOWN A TAD DUE TO THE COMBINATION OF PRECIP AND EXTENSIVE CLOUD COVER. ANOTHER REINFORCING SURGE/UPR LEVEL DISTURBANCE MOVES ACROSS THE REGION ON WED...BRINGING AT LEAST A SLGT CHANCE OF SHOWERS ON WED. THEN A LARGE AREA OF COOL...DRY CANADIAN HIGH PRESSURE SETTLES OVER THE REGION FROMT THE GREAT LAKES AND BRINGS UNSEASONABLY COOL BUT DRY WEATHER ACROSS THE REGION THUR THROUGH NEXT SUNDAY. && .AVIATION /19Z SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS AREA TERMINALS THIS AFTERNOON. THUNDERSTORM CHANCES LOOK LESS THAN EARLIER DUE TO LESS INSTABILITY BUT THERE/S STILL THE RISK. EVEN OUTSIDE OF THUNDERSTORMS...SHOWERS CAN BRING DOWN GUSTY WINDS. HAVE HIGHLIGHTED A 2 TO 3 HOUR WINDOW FOR CONVECTION FOLLOWED BY THE FROPA. GUSTY WNW WINDS BEHIND THE FRONT CAN BE EXPECTED ON MONDAY. NEXT AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL BRING LOWERING CIGS/VSBYS IN PRECIP STARTING EARLY ON TUE. EXPECT MVFR TO IFR CONDITIONS IN PRECIP DEVELOPING AT ALL TERMINALS ON TUE. IMPRVING CONDITIONS TUE NIGHT...THEN ANOTHER REINFORCING SURGE OF COLDER AIR ON WED WILL CAUSE LAPSE RATES TO STEEPEN...GIVING MVFR CONDITIONS WITH SLGT CHANCE OF SHOWERS DURING THE DAY WED. HIGH PRES BUILDS IN WED NIGHT AND CONTINUES THROUGH FRIDAY... AND INTO THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND. && .MARINE... WITH A SOUTHERLY COMPONENT...WIND GUSTS HAVE FLIRTED WITH MARGINAL SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CRITERIA SO FAR THIS AFTERNOON. WITH A LOW LEVEL JET IN PLACE...EXPECT A MORE SOLID SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY TO DEVELOP...ESPECIALLY AS A COLD FRONT MOVES ACROSS THE WATERS. WILL NEED TO WATCH FOR POSSIBLE SMW CONDITIONS IN CONVECTION AHEAD/ALONG THE FRONT...THEN 30 KT GUSTS BEHIND THE FRONT THIS EVENING. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS EXPECTED TO REMAIN THROUGH MONDAY. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WINDS WITH THE FRONTAL PASSAGE THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT...THEN GRADIENT BEGINS TO SLACKEN OVERNIGHT MON INTO TUE. ANOTHER FRONTAL SURGE ON WED COULD CREATE POTENTIAL FOR SCA ON WED. THEN HIGH PRES BUILDS OVER THE REGION ON THUR. THERE COULD BE SCA NEEDED WED NIGHT INTO THE DAY ON THR. AFTER THAT...LARGE AREA OF HIGH PRES OVER THE GREAT LAKES WILL KEEP A NORTHERLY COMPONENT OF WINDS OVER THE MARINE AREAS FRI THROUGH SUN. && .LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... DC...NONE. MD...NONE. VA...NONE. WV...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 10 PM EDT MONDAY FOR ANZ530>537. && SYNOPSIS...SMZ NEAR TERM...BPP SHORT TERM...BPP LONG TERM...SMZ AVIATION...BPP/SMZ MARINE...BPP/SMZ
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 331 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2008 ANZ530>537-DCZ001-MDZ006-007-011-013-014-016>018-VAZ052>057- 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-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- 331 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 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...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LOCALLY STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS TO 45 MPH BEFORE 8 PM. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER AND MARYLAND CHESAPEAKE BAY THROUGH TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT ACROSS THE MARINE WATERS FOR MONDAY AND MONDAY EVENING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. MDZ003>005-009-010-501-502-VAZ021-025>031-036>042-050-051- WVZ050>055-501>504-191000- 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- 331 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 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...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT SHOWERS AND SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT PORTIONS OF NORTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY THIS EVENING. A FEW THUNDERSTORMS HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE GUSTY WINDS TO 45 MPH THROUGH 7 PM. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED. PELOQIN/SMZ
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 329 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2008 VAZ037-050-056-182000- ORANGE VA-ALBEMARLE VA-SPOTSYLVANIA VA- 329 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT ORANGE...ALBEMARLE AND SPOTSYLVANIA COUNTIES... AT 329 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM UNIONVILLE TO 6 MILES NORTHEAST OF COBHAM TO 4 MILES NORTH OF NORTH GARDEN...MOVING EAST AT 40 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. THE COMMUNITIES OF MASSAPONAX...MONTICELLO...AND THORNHILL WILL BE AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS. SAR
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 507 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2008 MDZ005>007-010-011-182145- CARROLL MD-NORTHERN BALTIMORE MD-HOWARD MD-HARFORD MD- SOUTHERN BALTIMORE MD- 507 PM EDT SUN MAY 18 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT CARROLL...NORTHERN BALTIMORE... HOWARD...HARFORD AND SOUTHERN BALTIMORE COUNTIES... AT 507 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES NORTHEAST OF DARLINGTON TO JOPPA TO GRANITE...MOVING EAST AT 35 MPH. THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. THE COMMUNITIES OF HANOVER...WOODLAWN...ELKRIDGE...CATONSVILLE... MORRELL PARK...LANSDOWNE...HALETHORPE...CARROLL...FELLS POINT AND NOTTINGHAM WILL BE AFFECTED BY THESE STORMS. SAR
The Sterling radar (KLWX), 80 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:10 UTC.
1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
A trained spotter reported penny-size hail at Reisterstown Road just northwest of Interstate 695.
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, May 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: 99076.