An upper level low pressure system moved over the Appalachians on July 7th. At the surface, a weak surface trough combined with heat and humidity to produce scattered afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms.
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.
An upper level low pressure system moved over the Appalachians on July 7th. At the surface, a weak surface trough combined with heat and humidity to produce scattered afternoon and evening showers and thunderstorms. Some storms became strong to severe, with damaging winds reported in Albemarle 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 Jul 7, 2:04 PM EST, 4 hours 1 minute earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 304 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 .SYNOPSIS... AN UPPER LOW WILL TRAVERSE THE REGION THROUGH TOMORROW... MAINTAINING THE MOIST AND UNSETTELD CONDITIONS. A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING...WHICH WILL PROVIDE ONE MORE ROUND OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. AFTER THAT...SEVERAL DRY DAYS WILL BE POSSIBLE. && .NEAR TERM /UNTIL 8 PM THIS EVENING/... ISLTD CONVECTION HAS ATTEMPTED TO DEVELOP ACROSS SEVERAL OF THE LINE RIDGES ACROSS THE WRN CWA...BUT THE MOST SUCCESSFUL STORY COMES FROM THE WRN BNDRY OF THE CWA. FROM HIGHLAND TO ALLEGANY CO...STORMS HAVE TRAINED SLOWLY STARTED TO DRIFT E/WRD W/ THE STEERING FLOW FROM THE UPPER CLOSER LOW. THIS FEATURE WILL CONTINUE TO INFLUENCE THE MID ATLNC THRU TUES. IN THE NEAR TERM...THE FLOW WILL CONTINUE TO BE WEAK ENOUGH FOR TRAINING STORMS TO PRODUCE FLOODING AND FLASH FLOODING THREATS. INSTAB VALUES LIKELY VERY HIGH FOR TYPICAL SUMMER DAY...EVIDENCED BY INDIV STORMS ACROSS THE CNTRL APLCHNS THAT HAVE ALREADY REACHED SVR LIMITS ACROSS SW/RN VA. GRADL PROGRESSION E/WRD OF THE WEAK FORCING WILL CONTINUE TO SPARK CONVECTION ACROSS THE WRN MTN RIDGELINES INTO LATE EVNG. OUTFLOW DOMINANT CONVECTION EXPTD TO PUSH LIMITED ACTIVITY INTO THE PIEDMONT REGION TWRD THE LATE EVNG/OVRNIGHT HRS. && .SHORT TERM /8 PM THIS EVENING THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... THE UPPER LOW WILL GRADLY MOVE OVR THE MID ATLNC...AND EVENTUALLY KICKED OUT TWRD THE NE FROM THE APCHNG UPPER TROF FROM THE NRN PLAINS/WRN GREAT LAKES. ANOTHER DAY OF DECENT INSTABILITY...LIMITED FORCING AND NOT MUCH OF A LL CAPPING INVRSN TUES MRNG. SCT/D TSTMS GENERALLY INITIATING ACROSS THE TERRAIN AGAIN. SW/RLY WINDS EXPTD TO INCR ACROSS THE ERN HALF OF THE CWA...WHICH WOULD BE MORE FAVORABLE FOR LOW LEVEL MOISTURE CONVERGENCE. LITTLE CHANGE MADE TO PREV FORECAST...KEEPING CHNCE POPS W/ A ISL/D TO SCT/D NATURE TO CONVECTION TUES...PSBLY A BIT MORE ORGANIZED. && .LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/... A COLD FRONT IS STILL ON TRACK FOR THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. OTHERWISE DRY AND SEASONABLE WARM CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE WEEK INTO THE WEEKEND. UPPER TROUGH WITH SHORTWAVE ENERGY STILL MEANDERING ACROSS THE CWFA AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD. THE TROUGH SHOULD BE OFFSHORE BY EARLY WEDNESDAY. ZONAL FLOW WILL BE THE RULE THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. AT THE SURFACE...A COLD FRONT WILL SLOWLY MOVE THROUGH THE FORECAST AREA WEDNESDAY INTO THURSDAY. THE MODELS HAVE SLOWED DOWN THE SOUTHWARD PROGRESS OF THE FRONT ONCE AGAIN. WITH THE FLOW ALOFT PARALLEL TO THE BOUNDARY...THIS SOLUTIONS SEEMS REASONABLE. THE FRONT SHOULD END UP STALLING NEAR THE NC/VA BORDER. WITH THE FLOW BEING ZONAL (AND SEVERAL SHORTWAVES MOVING EAST IN THE FLOW)...SOME ISOLATED/LOW END SCATTERED CONVECTION COULD OCCUR DURING THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING HOURS. SINCE THE CHANCES ARE SO LOW AND SPECIFIC AREAS WOULD BE HARD TO PIN DOWN...HAVE OPTED FOR THE DRY FORECAST FOR NOW. && .AVIATION /19Z MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... LOW STRATUS DECK ACROSS THE I-95 CRDR SLOWLY MIXING OUT...W/ THE REST OF THE REGION DEVELOPING 2-3KT BKN CU FIELD. MOIST HELPING DROP CIG HEIGHTS...THO ANY CLOUD BASE LEVELS SHOULD GRADLY RISE INTO THE LATE NIGHT HRS. FOR THE AFTN HRS...TSTM ACTIVITY REMAINING ALONG THE RIDGELINES OF THE APLCHNS...W/ A SLOW DRIFT E/WRD. PSBLE SPAN OF CONVECTION MAY REACH THE PIEDMONT AREAS /BLUE RIDGE-EAST TO I-95/ TOWARD THE EVNG/OVRNGHT HRS. SCTD AREAS OF MVFR VSBYS WILL BE PSBLE OVRNGHT...W/ THE LOW LEVELS STAYING VERY MOIST...THO INCOMING MID LEVEL DRY AIR MAY MIX DOWN AND IMPROVE COND/S MORE QUICKLY AFTER SUNRISE THAN THE PAST FEW DAYS. SW/RLY FLOW WILL INCR DRNG THE MRNG HRS TUES...THO STAYING THE 5-15KT RANGE. SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE ANTICIPATED ON WEDNESDAY AS A COLD FRONT SLOWLY MOVES SOUTH OVER THE AREA. THE FRONT IS PROGGED TO STALL NEAR THE NC/VA BORDER BY THURSDAY. CIGS/VSBYS WILL BE REDUCED IN ANY CONVECTION. FOR THURSDAY INTO EARLY NEXT WEEK...NO CIG/VSBY RESTRICTIONS ARE ANTICIPATED. && .MARINE... LIGHT WINDS FOR THE WATERS TONIGHT AND OVERNIGHT...W/ A GRADL INCR W/ S/RLY WINDS CHANNELING INTO THE CNTL BAY. PERIODS OF NEAR SCA ADV COND/S EXPTD FOR THE LOWER/CNTL PORTION OF THE BAY TWRD EVNG...THO WINDS ALREADY NEAR CRIT...SO SCA ADV UP FOR LOWER 2 ZONES OF THE BAY INTO THE OVRNGHT. TUES...THE LOWER BAY WILL AGAIN SEE OCSNL GUSTS W/ A STEADY 10-15KT NE/RLY WIND. NO SCA POSTED FOR TUES...THO LATER GUIDANCE MAY POINT TO SLIGHTLY HIGHER WINDS DRNG THE AFTN HRS. NO WIND HEADLINES ARE ANTICIPATED THROUGH THE LONG TERM PORTION OF THE FORECAST. SCATTERED TO NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY ON WEDNESDAY AS A COLD FRONT DROPS SOUTH OVER THE MID ATLANTIC. && .LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... DC...NONE. MD...NONE. VA...NONE. WV...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 2 AM EDT TUESDAY FOR ANZ533-534. && SYNOPSIS...GMS NEAR TERM...GMS SHORT TERM...GMS LONG TERM...LISTEMAA AVIATION...GMS/LISTEMAA MARINE...GMS/LISTEMAA
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 334 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 ANZ530>537-DCZ001-MDZ006-007-011-013-014-016>018-VAZ052>057- 081000- 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- 334 PM EDT MON JUL 7 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 SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE. ANY SEVERE STORM THAT DEVELOPS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. IN ADDITION...HEAVY RAINFALL MAY LEAD TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AMPLE MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WILL LEAD TO STRONG TO OCCASIONALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREATS. HEAVY RAINFALL MAY LEAD TO ISOLATED FLOODING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TOMORROW...BUT MAY BE POSSIBLE ON WEDNESDAY. MDZ003>005-009-010-501-502-VAZ021-025>031-036>042-050-051- WVZ050>055-501>504-081000- 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- 334 PM EDT MON JUL 7 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 SCATTERED SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. ISOLATED SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE. ANY SEVERE STORM THAT DEVELOPS WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. IN ADDITION...HEAVY RAINFALL MAY LEAD TO LOCALIZED FLOODING. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY A COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE REGION WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. AMPLE MOISTURE AND INSTABILITY WILL LEAD TO STRONG TO OCCASIONALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ALONG AND AHEAD OF THE FRONT. DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL WILL BE THE PRIMARY THREATS. HEAVY RAINFALL MAY LEAD TO ISOLATED FLOODING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED THROUGH TOMORROW...BUT MAY BE POSSIBLE ON WEDNESDAY.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 149 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 WVZ503-071815- WESTERN MINERAL WV- 149 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT WESTERN MINERAL COUNTY... AT 149 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER KITZMILLER...MOVING SOUTHEAST AT 7 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING HEAVY RAINFALL...SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH. THE COMMUNITIES OF EMORYVILLE AND SULPHUR CITY WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM. GMS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 203 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 VAZ021-025-026-WVZ054-071830- HIGHLAND VA-PENDLETON WV-AUGUSTA VA-ROCKINGHAM VA- 203 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT HIGHLAND...PENDLETON...AUGUSTA AND ROCKINGHAM COUNTIES... AT 203 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES NORTHEAST OF SUGAR GROVE...MOVING EAST AT 15 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH. THE COMMUNITIES OF BRANDYWINE WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM. BJL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 430 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 MDZ502-WVZ050-051-504-072100- HAMPSHIRE WV-MORGAN WV-CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALLEGANY MD- EASTERN MINERAL WV- 430 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT HAMPSHIRE...MORGAN...CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALLEGANY AND EASTERN MINERAL COUNTIES... AT 430 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER LEVELS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 8 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING FREQUENT LIGHTNING AND RAINFALL RATES OVER ONE INCH PER HOUR ALONG WITH SMALL HAIL AND WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH. THE COMMUNITIES OF GREEN SPRING...OLDTOWN...TOWN CREEK...PAW PAW... MAGNOLIA AND GREEN RIDGE WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM. BJL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 451 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 VAZ027-028-030-072115- WARREN VA-SHENANDOAH VA-FREDERICK VA- 451 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT WARREN...SHENANDOAH AND FREDERICK COUNTIES... AT 451 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM OVER STRASBURG...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 14 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 40 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND RAINFALL RATES OVER ONE INCH PER HOUR. THE COMMUNITIES OF STEPHENS CITY WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM. BJL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 501 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 VAZ036-072130- NELSON VA- 501 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT NELSON COUNTY... AT 501 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 3 MILES NORTH OF PINEY RIVER...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 8 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL...WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH...FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND RAINFALL RATES OVER ONE INCH PER HOUR. THE COMMUNITIES OF WINTERGREEN AND SHIPMAN WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM. BJL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 620 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 VAZ036-037-072315- NELSON VA-ALBEMARLE VA- 620 PM EDT MON JUL 7 2008 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT NELSON AND ALBEMARLE COUNTIES... AT 620 PM EDT...DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A STRONG THUNDERSTORM 4 MILES NORTHEAST OF BUFFALO SPRINGS...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 11 MPH. THIS STORM WILL BE CAPABLE OF PRODUCING SMALL HAIL...WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH...AND RAINFALL RATES OVER ONE INCH PER HOUR. THE COMMUNITIES OF SHIPMAN AND SCHUYLER WILL BE AFFECTED BY THIS STORM. BJL
The Sterling radar (KLWX), 140 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 23:03 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Albemarle County Emergency Management reported a tree down on a power lines on Bishop Hill Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2008Every state in 2008This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, July 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: 117886.