Low pressure tracked through the Ohio Valley and into the Great Lakes. Gusty winds developed ahead of the cold front that was associated with this low during the night of the 24th into the early morning hours of the 25th.
Every event with a place to put it; 4 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. 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.
Low pressure tracked through the Ohio Valley and into the Great Lakes. Gusty winds developed ahead of the cold front that was associated with this low during the night of the 24th into the early morning hours of the 25th.
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 Jan 24, 6:38 PM EST, 3 hours 11 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
638 PM EST SUN JAN 24 2010
.SYNOPSIS...
A STRONG STORM SYSTEM WILL BRING HEAVY RAIN TO THE AREA TONIGHT INTO
EARLY MONDAY. LATE MONDAY A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE ACROSS THE
REGION...BRINGING COOLER CONDITIONS AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS IN. A
COLD FRONT ON THURSDAY WILL SEND TEMPERATURES DOWN FURTHER...WITH A
LOW PRESSURE POSSIBLY AFFECTING THE AREA FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
&&
.NEAR TERM /UNTIL 6 AM MONDAY MORNING/...
...UPDATED TO ADD A COASTAL FLOOD WARNING FOR MONDAY. ALSO
EXTENDED THE WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM FOR THE BLUE RIDGE
MOUNTAINS AND SHENANDOAH VALLEY OR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 2500 FEET.
THE FLASH FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT. STRONG LOW-LEVEL JET WILL
BRING GUSTY WINDS TO THE RIDGE TOPS ACROSS THESE AREAS TONIGHT
BEFORE THE PRESSURE GRADIENT SUBSIDES NEAR AND BEHIND THE COLD
FRONT. PREVIOUS DISCUSSION FOLLOWS.
STRONG STORM SYSTEM OVER WI WILL TRACK INTO THE NRN GREAT LAKES
TNGT. CD FNT ALONG IL/IN BRDR WILL PUSH E OF THE MTNS B4 12Z MON
AND INTO THE ATLC BY MID MRNG. THIS SYSTEM WILL BRING AN
ASSORTMENT OF ACTIVE WX CONDITIONS TO THE REGION TDA AND TNGT
INCLUDING THE THREAT OF FLASH/RIVER/COASTAL FLOODING AND HIGH
ELEVATION/MARINE WIND CONCERNS.
EVERYTHING STILL POINTING TOWARDS OVRNGT PD - 00 TO 12Z BEING A
VERY ACTIVE PD ACROSS THE CWA. SERLY WIND COMPONENT AHD OF FNT WL
AID TO DRAW MOISTURE INTO THE MID ATLC AND ENHANCE RAFL RATES. OUR
THOUGHTS RMN 1-2" W/ ISOLD HIGHER AMTS. AT THIS TIME OF YR PTNL PWATS
ARE AT THEIR LOWEST FOR WHAT IS NEEDED TO CAUSE FLDG - L.T. 1" IS
2 SD ABV NRML...AND WE CERTAIN HV THE PTNL FOR MORE THAN THAT.
DON'T FORGET THIS IS THE SAME SYSTEM THAT CAUSED GREAT HAVOC IN CA/AZ.
ON THAT NOTE - WIND ADVSRY RMNS IN EFFECT AT HIGHER ELEVS UNTIL 7
PM. NEXT SHIFT MAY NEED TO EXTEND THAT.
HIGH TEMPS TDA HV BEEN SGNFCTLY COOLER THAN PREDICTED - EVEN AFTR
I LOWERED THESE SVRL DEGS IN THE MRNG UPDATE. BLF RMNS THAT TEMPS
WL RISE THIS EVE. TEMPS IN THE NRN NECK OF VA HV WARMED FM THE
L40S AT 10 AM TO MU50S AT 2 PM..SO WARMER AIR IS COMING TO THE CWA
LATE THIS AFTN/THIS EVE. OVRNGT LOWS RANGING FM L40S IN HIGHLANDS
TO L50S DC AND PTS SE.
&&
.SHORT TERM /6 AM MONDAY MORNING THROUGH 6 PM MONDAY/...
HVY RA PTNL WL RMN THRU MID MRNG...THEN FNT MOVG OFF CST. WIDE
DISPARITY IN TEMPS AMONG THE MDLS. REGARDLESS WE'RE PRBLY LOOKING
AT A MRNG HIGH TEMP. PLENTY OF CLD CVR DURG THE DAY GIVEN UPR LOW
TO THE N AND CYCLONIC FLOW OVR MID ATLC.
&&
.LONG TERM /MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY/...
BEHIND CDFNT...NW FLOW WILL BRING TEMPERATURES TO SEASONAL LEVELS
FOR MON NGT THRU THU. COLD AIR BECOMES DEEP ENUF TO SUPPORT UPSLOPE
SNOW...WITH BEST CHANCE FOR ACCUMULATION TUE/TUE NGT...WITH SEVERAL
INCHES PSBL. DOESNT LOOK FAVORABLE FOR WARNING CRITERIA AMOUNTS
ATTM. DOWNSLOPING WILL KEEP AREAS E OF ALLEGHENY FRONT DRY...BUT
BREEZY...WITH CLEARING SKIES TUE NGT INTO WED. HIPRES BUILDS IN FROM
THE S/W WED/WED NGT...BUT STRONG CDFNT PASSES THRU ON THU...BRINGING
MUCH COLDER CONDS TO THE AREA. LOPRES DVLPS OVR TEXAS AND PASSES S/E
OF THE AREA FRI/SAT...MODELS BRINGING THIS SYSTEM INCRG CLOSE TO
MID-ATLC WITH RECENT RUNS...HAVE RAISED SNOW POPS TO CHANCE.
&&
.AVIATION /00Z MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/...
POOR FLYING CONDS TNGT. STRONG LO LVL WINDS OFF THE SFC WL CAUSE
BOTH LO LVL TURB AND SPEED SHEAR. LO CLDS HV ALREADY MOVED INTO
THE RGN...WHICH WL ONLY DROP LOWER TNGT INTO IFR/LIFR RANGE AS CD
FNT/HVY RA DRAW CLOSER TO THE RGN. CONDS WL BEGIN TO IMROVE BY MID
MRNG...W/ WINDS SHIFTING FM SSW TO W.
VFR CONDS XPCD MON NGT THRU THU...WITH SOME NW WINDS PSBLY
APPROACHING 30 KT GUSTS SPCLY TUE AFTN. NEXT STORM SYSTEM MAY AFFECT
AIRPORTS THU NGT THRU SAT.
&&
.MARINE...
POOR MARINER CONDS TNGT/MON AS WELL. STRNG CD FNT TO MOVE INTO THE
WATERS LATE TNGT. SCA THIS EVE...INCRSG TO GALE WRNG ON THE CHES
BAY/LOWER PTMC OVRNGT. THIS WL LKLY RETURN TO SCA LVLS FOR MON AFTN.
NW WINDS SHUD CONT GUSTING AOA 20 KT MON NGT AND TUE...THUS SCA IS
XPCD TO BE NECESSARY. SCA CONDS COULD PERSIST TUE NGT INTO WED AS NW
FLOW AND CAA PERSISTS.
&&
.HYDROLOGY...
RFC GDNC PREDICTING SIGNIFICANT RISES ON THE PTMC RVR BASED ON THE
XPCTD 1-2" OF RAFL. S BRNCH OF PTMC FM SPRINGFIELD MON NGT...N TO PAW
PAW...AND THEN THE MAIN PTMC AT HANCOCK TUE...THEN PT OF ROCKS TUE
NGT - ALL THESE ARE FCSTD TO GO ABV EITHER FLD STG OR CAUTION STG.
&&
.TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
TIDAL ANOMALIES ARE CURRENTLY ABOUT ONE TO TWO FEET ABOVE NORMAL.
SOUTH-SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL INCREASE OVERNIGHT CAUSING ANOMALIES TO
INCREASE TO 2 TO 3 FEET ABOVE NORMAL. THIS WILL CAUSE WATER LEVELS
TO APPROACH THRESHOLDS FOR MINOR COASTAL FLOODING NEAR TIMES OF
HIGH TIDE.
ANOMALIES WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE EARLY MONDAY MORNING DUE TO
STRONG SOUTH-SOUTHEAST WINDS AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT. TIDAL
ANOMALIES OVER 3 FEET ABOVE NORMAL ARE EXPECTED. EXTRA TROPICAL
MODELS SUGGEST THAT WATER LEVELS WILL EXCEED THRESHOLDS FOR
MODERATE COASTAL FLOODING NEAR TIMES OF HIGH TIDE. THE LATEST
GUIDANCE COMBINED WITH THE FORECASTED WIND SPEEDS AND DIRECTION
WERE THE REASONS FOR ISSUING A COASTAL FLOOD WARNING MONDAY.
&&
.LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
DC...COASTAL FLOOD WARNING FROM 5 AM TO 6 PM EST MONDAY FOR DCZ001.
FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR DCZ001.
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TO 5 AM EST MONDAY FOR DCZ001.
MD...COASTAL FLOOD WARNING FROM 5 AM TO 6 PM EST MONDAY FOR MDZ007-
011-013-014-016>018.
FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR MDZ004>007-
009>011-013-014-016>018.
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TO 5 AM EST MONDAY FOR MDZ007-
011-013-014-016>018.
FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR MDZ003-501-502.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST TONIGHT FOR MDZ501.
VA...COASTAL FLOOD WARNING FROM 5 AM TO 6 PM EST MONDAY FOR
VAZ052>055-057.
FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR VAZ040-042-
050>057-501-502.
COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY FROM 1 AM TO 5 AM EST MONDAY FOR
VAZ052>055-057.
FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR VAZ021-025>031-
036>039.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM EST MONDAY FOR VAZ025>027-029-036>040.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST TONIGHT FOR VAZ021.
WV...FLASH FLOOD WATCH THROUGH MONDAY MORNING FOR WVZ050>055-
501>504.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 4 AM EST MONDAY FOR WVZ055.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST TONIGHT FOR WVZ054-501>503.
MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 11 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR
ANZ530>533-538>541.
GALE WARNING FROM 11 PM THIS EVENING TO 10 AM EST MONDAY FOR
ANZ530>534-537>543.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 11 PM EST THIS EVENING FOR ANZ534-
537-542-543.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 3 AM EST
MONDAY FOR ANZ535-536.
GALE WARNING FROM 3 AM TO 10 AM EST MONDAY FOR ANZ535-536.
&&
PRODUCTS...LASORSA/WOODY!/SBKHAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 435 PM EST SUN JAN 24 2010 ANZ530>543-DCZ001-MDZ006-007-011-013-014-016>018-VAZ052>057- 251645- 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- PATAPSCO RIVER INCLUDING BALTIMORE HARBOR- CHESTER RIVER TO QUEENSTOWN MD-EASTERN BAY- CHOPTANK RIVER TO CAMBRIDGE MD AND THE LITTLE CHOPTANK RIVER- PATUXENT RIVER TO BROOMES ISLAND MD- TANGIER SOUND AND THE INLAND WATERS SURROUNDING BLOODSWORTH ISLAND-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- 435 PM EST SUN JAN 24 2010 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 A FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TONIGHT. WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LEAD TO THE POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING ACROSS THE AREA. PLEASE REFER TO WBCFFALWX FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE WESTERN SHORE OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER TONIGHT THROUGH MIDDAY MONDAY. THE GREATEST THREAT FOR FLOODING WOULD BE AFTER SUNRISE MONDAY. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE UPPER TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER THROUGH TONIGHT. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT ACROSS THE LOWER TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER AND MARYLAND CHESAPEAKE BAY INTO EARLY THIS EVENING...THEN A GALE WARNING GOES INTO EFFECT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES MONDAY MORNING. RIVERS AND STREAMS WILL RISE DURING AND AFTER THE RAIN...AND MINOR FLOODING IS POSSIBLE THROUGH MONDAY. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONTINUES FOR THE UPPER TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER. A GALE WARNING CONTINUES FOR THE LOWER TIDAL POTOMAC AND MARYLAND CHESAPEAKE BAY MONDAY MORNING. SMALL CRAFT ADVISORIES ARE LIKELY MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY AND MAY CONTINUE INTO WEDNESDAY. A COASTAL FLOOD ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH 100 PM EST MONDAY. MINOR COASTAL FLOODING IS EXPECTED DURING TIMES OF HIGH TIDE ALONG THE WESTERN SHORE OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND ALONG THE TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER MONDAY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE RELAY REPORTS OF FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. MDZ003>005-009-010-501-502-VAZ021-025>031-036>040-042-050-051-501- 502-WVZ050>055-501>504-251645- 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-LOUDOUN-ORANGE- CULPEPER-NORTHERN FAUQUIER-SOUTHERN FAUQUIER-HAMPSHIRE-MORGAN- BERKELEY-JEFFERSON-PENDLETON-HARDY-WESTERN GRANT-EASTERN GRANT- WESTERN MINERAL-EASTERN MINERAL- 435 PM EST SUN JAN 24 2010 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 FLASH FLOOD WATCH IS IN EFFECT TONIGHT. WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAINFALL WILL LEAD TO THE POTENTIAL FOR FLASH FLOODING ACROSS THE AREA. PLEASE REFER TO WBCFFALWX FOR FURTHER INFORMATION. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR ELEVATIONS ABOVE 2500 FEET ACROSS THE POTOMAC HIGHLANDS AND SHENANDOAH VALLEY AREA THROUGH 700 PM EST. PLEASE REFER TO WBCNPWLWX FOR FURTHER DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY A FLASH FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE THROUGH MONDAY MORNING. RIVERS AND STREAMS WILL RISE DURING AND AFTER THE RAIN...AND RIVER FLOODING IS POSSIBLE MONDAY AND TUESDAY. RIVER FLOODING IS LIKELY ON THE SOUTH BRANCH OF THE POTOMAC RIVER AT AND BELOW SPRINGFIELD...AND ALONG THE POTOMAC RIVER BETWEEN PAW PAW AND LITTLE FALLS. FLOODING IS ALSO LIKELY ON THE OPEQUON CREEK NEAR MARTINSBURG. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE RELAY REPORTS OF FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. SBK
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
3 strong wind, 1 high wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A trampoline was blown nearly a mile away.
Numerous trees were down across the county.
Numerous trees were down across the county.
A wind gust of 50 knots was measured at Annapolis.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Maryland in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Maryland, January 2010
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: 209667, 209666, 209665, 209675.