A cold front passing through the region combined with an unstable atmosphere to trigger showers and thunderstorms. Some thunderstorms were 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 passing through the region combined with an unstable atmosphere to trigger showers and thunderstorms. Some thunderstorms were severe, producing damaging winds and large hail.
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 Aug 2, 9:57 AM EST, 3 hours 43 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 1057 AM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 .SYNOPSIS... AN UPPER LEVEL DISTURBANCE WILL MVE ACROSS THE REGION THIS EVENING PUSHING A STRONG COLD FRONT THROUGH THE AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON SOME POSSIBLY SEVERE WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD ACROSS THE AREA SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY. ANOTHER FRONT WILL IMPACT THE REGION DURING THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 PM THIS EVENING/... FIRST ROUND OF TSRA HAS EXITED THE AREA BUT ATMOSPHERE REMAINS VERY MOIST AND THE APPROACH OF A STRONG UPPER LVL DISTURBANCE LATER TODAY INDICATES THAT THERE WILL BE ANOTHER ROUND OF TSRA THIS AFTERNOON. MORNING CLOUDS ARE ALREADY THINING OUT MEANING THAT THERE WILL BE ENOUGH BREAKS FOR ADEQUATE HEATING/DESTABILIZATION FOR POTENTIAL SVR STORMS LATER THIS AFTERNOON. LATEST WRF MODELS AND RUC40 INDICATE THAT AREAS ALONG I-95 STAND THE BEST CHANCE FOR EXPERIENCING SVR WX. TIMING LOOKS TO BE BETWEEN 3PM AND 8PM. WOULD ANTICIPATE A SEVERE WEATHER WATCH LATER TODAY. && .SHORT TERM /6 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH 6 AM SUNDAY/... THE FRONT WILL BE MOVING EAST OF THE FORECAST AREA BY EARLY EVENING...TAKING WITH IT MOST OF THE CONVECTION. WILL CONTINUE SLIGHT CHANCE TO CHANCE POPS ALONG AND EAST OF THE INTERSTATE 95 CORRIDOR THROUGH EARLY EVENING. NOT A LOT OF DRYING OR INCREASED WINDS BEHIND THIS FRONT...SO WILL HAVE TO LOOK OUT FOR FOG LATE SATURDAY NIGHT INTO EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. && .LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... NO CHANGES MADE TO THE LONG TERM GRIDS DUE TO ACTIVE WEATHER OVERNIGHT. AN UPPER LOW WILL SLIDE EAST ACROSS NEW ENGLAND...BRINGING NOTABLE HEIGHT RISES ACROSS THE REGION EARLY NEXT WEEK. ZONAL FLOW TAKES OVER MID WEEK...AND A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY. THIS WILL BE THE NEXT SIGNIFICANT CHANCE OF CONVECTION. && .AVIATION /15Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL MOVE FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE AREA EARLY THIS MORNING...THEN AGAIN EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. WILL TRY TO PIN DOWN TIMING WITH MORNING ACTIVITY AS STORMS PROGRESS EAST. SECOND ROUND OF STORMS WILL DEVELOP DURING THE LATE MORNING THROUGH NOON AND MOVE EAST. THE WASHINGTON AND BALTIMORE METRO TERMINALS HAVE THE BETTER CHANCES OF SEEING THE STRONGEST STORMS BETWEEN NOON AND 5PM. TIMING REMAINS UNCERTAIN...SO 12Z TAFS WILL MOST LIKELY MAINTAIN THE VICINITY THUNDERSTORMS. THE COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION TODAY...AND EAST OF THE AREA THIS EVENING. RELATIVELY LIGHT WEST TO NORTHWEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED BEHIND THE FRONT TONIGHT. LOCATIONS THAT SEE RAIN TODAY AND CLEARING SKIES TONIGHT MAY SEE SOME FOG LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY SUNDAY MORNING. NO SIGNIFICANT WEATHER IS EXPECTED SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE AGAIN ON WEDNESDAY. && .MARINE... SOUTHERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE AHEAD OF THE APPROACHING COLD FRONT. THIS WOULD LEAD TO CHANNELING UP THE BAY AND PORTIONS OF THE POTOMAC THIS MORNING AND AFTERNOON. HOWEVER...ONGOING CONVECTION COULD DISRUPT THAT FLOW. EITHER WAY...WIND GUSTS TO 20 KNOTS WILL BE POSSIBLE TODAY OVER THE WATERS. THEREFORE...WILL RAISE A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY THROUGH EARLY EVENING. THUNDERSTORMS MOVING OVER THE WATERS TODAY WILL LIKELY PROMPT SPECIAL MARINE WARNINGS. STRONG SOUTHERLY FLOW WILL BE PRESENT TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY AS A COLD FRONT APPROACHES. THIS MAY REQUIRE A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY TO BE POSTED IN SUBSEQUENT SHIFTS. && .LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... DC...NONE. MD...NONE. VA...NONE. WV...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && UPDATE...ROSA PRODUCTS...SAR/SMZ
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 1102 AM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 ANZ530>537-DCZ001-MDZ006-007-011-013-014-016>018-VAZ052>057- 031000- 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- 1102 AM EDT SAT AUG 2 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...TODAY AND TONIGHT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL REDEVELOP LATER THIS AFTERNOON ALONG AND AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING FRONTAL BOUNDARY. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE ESPECIALLY EAST OF THE INTERSTATE 95 CORRIDOR WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL THE PRIMARY THREATS. A SEVERE WEATHER WATCH MAY BE REQUIRED LATER THIS AFTERNOON. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...MAXIMUM DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURES MAY APPROACH 100 DEGREES WITH HEAT INDICES NEAR 105. A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY ALONG WITH A CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. MDZ003>005-009-010-501-502-VAZ021-025>031-036>042-050-051- WVZ050>055-501>504-031000- 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- 1102 AM EDT SAT AUG 2 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...TODAY AND TONIGHT SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL REDEVELOP ON LATE THIS MORNING ALONG AND AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING FRONTAL BOUNDARY. SOME OF THE STORMS COULD BECOME SEVERE...WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL THE PRIMARY THREATS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY...MAXIMUM DAYTIME HIGH TEMPERATURES MAY APPROACH 100 DEGREES WITH HEAT INDICES NEAR 105. A COLD FRONT IS EXPECTED ON WEDNESDAY ALONG WITH A CHANCE OF SEVERE WEATHER. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SKYWARN ACTIVATION WILL LIKELY BE REQUIRED EARLY THIS AFTERNOON.
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
900 AM EDT SAT AUG 02 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0455 AM HAIL PASADENA 39.11N 76.55W
08/02/2008 E0.75 INCH ANNE ARUNDEL MD TRAINED SPOTTER
PENNY SIZED HAIL IN PASADENA
0542 AM TSTM WND GST 10 E PINEHURST 39.21N 76.25W
08/02/2008 M58.00 MPH ANZ531 MD BUOY
&&
ROSASPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 905 AM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 VAZ027-028-WVZ050-055-021345- FREDERICK VA-HAMPSHIRE WV-HARDY WV-SHENANDOAH VA- 905 AM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT SHENANDOAH...HARDY...HAMPSHIRE AND FREDERICK COUNTIES... AT 905 AM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 2 MILES NORTHWEST OF BEAN SETTLEMENT...MOVING EAST AT 23 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH. THE COMMUNITIES OF INKERMAN...KIRBY...BAKER...RIO...MCCAULEY... WARDENSVILLE...CAPON SPRINGS AND GRAVEL SPRINGS WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM. ROSA
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 146 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 VAZ026-WVZ054-021830- PENDLETON WV-ROCKINGHAM VA- 146 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT PENDLETON AND ROCKINGHAM COUNTIES... AT 146 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES NORTH OF DEER RUN...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. MORE THUNDERSTORMS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP BEHIND THIS STORM...WITH NEARLY THE SAME MOVEMENT. THE COMMUNITIES OF YANKEETOWN AND DEER RUN WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM. GMS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 217 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 VAZ026-021900- ROCKINGHAM VA- 217 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT NORTHERN AND WESTERN ROCKINGHAM COUNTY... AT 217 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF YANKEETOWN...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 30 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RANIFALL...SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. THE COMMUNITIES OF BROADWAY AND MASSANUTTEN WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM. FURTHER DEVELOPMENT MAY AFFECT AREAS JUST NORTH OF THE HARRISONBURG AREA BY 245 PM EDT. GMS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 230 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 VAZ027-029-021915- PAGE VA-SHENANDOAH VA- 230 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT CENTRAL PAGE AND SOUTHERN SHENANDOAH COUNTIES... AT 230 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES NORTHWEST OF HAMBURG...MOVING EAST AT 21 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL...SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. THE COMMUNITIES OF QUICKSBURG...LEAKSVILLE AND LURAY WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM. GMS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 234 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 MDZ003-004-021915- FREDERICK MD-WASHINGTON MD- 234 PM EDT SAT AUG 2 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT WASHINGTON AND FREDERICK COUNTIES... AT 234 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 2 MILES NORTH OF HALFWAY...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 20 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING BRIEF HEAVY RAINFALL...SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. THE COMMUNITIES OF HAGERSTOWN...BOONSBORO AND WOLFSVILLE WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM. GMS
The Sterling radar (KLWX), 129 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:40 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind, 3 hail, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Several trees were down just northeast of Harrisonburg.
At about 3:06 PM a small EF-0 tornado briefly touched down in the southwest part of Elkton. Touchdown was on the banks of the south fork of the Shenandoah River along Park Avenue. It snapped and uprooted about a dozen large hardwood trees in various directions as it traveled west to east. It crossed 4th Street and then lifted shortly after it crossed South 5th Street. An eyewitness in the damaged area reported a swirling wind in the trees as the storm moved through. Another eyewitness also reported a descending funnel cloud from a vantage point 2 miles southwest of Elkton. The path width was about 70 yards. The path length was about one quarter of a mile.
Hail one inch in diameter was reported by the public around Elkton.
Emergency Management reported numerous trees down near Elkton.
Law Enforcement reported trees down in Rochelle.
Emergency Management reported a tree on a house at Route 231 and Shelby Road.
The county official reported several trees down in Old Somerset.
The fire department reported a tree down on a car at the 100 block of West Braddock street in Dey Rey.
A trained spotter reported large trees down in the community of Rosemont.
A trained spotter reported hail one inch in diameter near Centreville.
A trained spotter reported penny sized hail at the intersection of Pickwick Road and Lee Highway near Centreville.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for Virginia, 2008Warnings in Virginia, August 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: 136697, 130075, 130099, 130079, 130096, 130095, 130097, 130091, 130092, 130093, 130094.