Low pressure moved through New England on the 14th while Canadian high pressure approached from the Great Lakes. The pressure gradient between these two systems brought windy conditions to the Potomac Highlands of Virginia.
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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.
Low pressure moved through New England on the 14th while Canadian high pressure approached from the Great Lakes. The pressure gradient between these two systems brought windy conditions to the Potomac Highlands of Virginia. The gusty winds combined with cold temperatures to produce dangerously low wind chill values during the early morning hours.
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 Dec 13, 9:09 PM EST, 5 hours 51 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
909 PM EST MON DEC 13 2010
.SYNOPSIS...
A DEEP UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL REMAIN NEARLY
STATIONARY ACROSS NEW ENGLAND THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF THE WEEK. HIGH
PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE WILL BUILD IN FROM THE WEST THROUGH
WEDNESDAY. A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS EXPECTED TO IMPACT THE MID-
ATLANTIC REGION ON THURSDAY. HIGH PRESSURE IS EXPECTED TO MOVE
INTO THE AREA FOR THE FIRST PART OF THE WEEKEND.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/...
MINOR REORIENTATION OF POPS MADE TO REFLECT CURRENT RADAR TRENDS.
MOST ECHOES LKLY ASSOCIATED WITH FLURRIES...BUT A FEW SLGTLY MORE
ENHANCED BANDS MAY GENERATE A BRIEF SNOW SHWR...SPCLY VCTY NERN
BALTIMORE AND NRN SECTIONS OF ERN WV PNHDL. PREV DISCUSSION
FOLLOWS...
DP UPR LOW OVER NRN PA/SRN NY WILL MAKE SLOW EWD MVMT
TNGT. SVRL SHRTWV TROFS WILL MOVE THRU STG FLOW AROUND SRN
PERIPHERY OF THIS LOW. ONE SUCH WAVE WILL IMPACT THE FCST AREA
TNGT AND MAY YIELD VERY LGT SNOW SHWRS OVNGT ACRS NRN MD AND PSBLY
AS FAR S AS THE WRN AND SWRN SUBURBS OF WASHINGTON DC. THIS WAVE
ALSO MAY ENHANCE UPSLP SNOW SHWR INTENSITY OVNGT. WINTER STORM
WRNG CONTS TNGT... AND BLIZZARD WRNG MAY BE NEEDED IF VSBYS DROP
BLW 1/4 MILE IN SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW.
DP NWLY FLOW CONTS TUE...YIELDING SUSTAINED COLD AIR ADVCTN AND
MAXIMA GENLY IN THE UPR 20S-LWR 30S. WRN SLOPES WILL NOT EXCEED
THE TEENS. WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 40 KT LKLY FOR MUCH OF FCST
AREA...WHICH LKLY WILL REQUIRE A WIND ADZY ISSUANCE DURG OVNGT.
OCSNL UPSLP SNOW SHWRS WILL CONT THRU TUE. PREV DISCUSSION
FOLLOWS...
NEGATIVELY TILTED UPPER TROUGH BECOMES MORE NEGATIVELY TILTED
TONIGHT AS IT ANCHORS OVER THE NORTHEASTERN STATES. THE NWLY JET
BEHIND THE TROUGH AXIS IS OVERSPREADING THE MID ATLANTIC...BRINGING
WIND/WIND CHILL/ AND WINTER STORM HEADLINES TO PORTIONS OF THE AREA.
GUSTY NWLY SFC FLOW HAS DEVELOPED ACROSS THE AREA WITH A FEW 46 MPH
GUSTS /WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA/ AT RIDGELINES AND AROUND 40 MPH GUSTS
ACROSS THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY AND ACROSS NORTHERN VIRGINIA...DC...AND
CENTRAL MARYLAND. STRONG GUSTS WILL PERSIST OVERNIGHT FOR THE
RIDGELINES /BLUE RIDGE AND WEST/ WHERE A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT.
PLEASE SEE NPWLWX FOR FURTHER DETAILS.
THE WINDS HAVE BROUGHT WIND CHILLS INTO ADVISORY CRITERIA /5 TO 19
DEGREES BELOW ZERO/ ACROSS THE ALLEGHENY MOUNTAINS TODAY...AND FOR
HIGHER ELEVATIONS EAST TO ACROSS THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS TONIGHT.
PLEASE SEE WSWLWX FOR FURTHER DETAILS. MIN TEMPS TONIGHT THE LOWEST
OF THE SEASON THUS FAR...TEENS INLAND...LOW 20S URBAN/NEAR SHORE.
UPSLOPE SNOW HAS OCCURRED THROUGH THE DAY FROM THE ALLEGHENY FRONT
AND WEST. CLOUD STREETS...EVIDENT IN VIS SAT IMAGERY INDICATES THAT
THE NOW IS OCCURRING INTERMITTENTLY AT BEST. THEREFORE... DESPITE
THE STRONG WINDS VISIBILITIES ARE NOT LOW ENOUGH TO WARRANT A
BLIZZARD WARNING. THEREFORE...THE WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN
EXTENDED THROUGH TUESDAY. PLEASE SEE WSWLWX FOR FURTHER DETAILS.
A FEW BANDS OF SNOW EXTENDING FROM PA ARE DRAPED ACROSS WEST-CENTRAL
MARYLAND WITH FLURRIES EXTENDING INTO THE NRN DC AND
CENTRAL/SOUTHERN BALTIMORE METRO. LOCALLY MODERATE INTENSITY IS
POSSIBLE WITH THIS INTO THE EVENING. A STRONGER BAND MAY DEVELOP
TONIGHT IN THAT AREA...AND POSSIBLY EXPAND INTO BALTIMORE...THE
EVENING SHIFT WILL HAVE TO MONITOR THIS. A FEW TENTHS OF AN INCH ARE
POSSIBLE AT HIGHER ELEVATIONS SUCH AS ON SOUTH AND CATOCTIN
MOUNTAINS...AND A LIGHT DUSTING IS POSSIBLE FROM THE EASTERN WEST
VIRGINIA PANHANDLE...WESTERN AND NORTH-CENTRAL MARYLAND...AND
PERHAPS FAR NWRN VIRGINIA.
FLURRIES ARE ALSO OCCURRING THE THE LEE OF THE ALLEGHENY
FRONT...THOUGH LITTLE IF ANY ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED THROUGH
TONIGHT.
&&
.SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
THE 2ND PROLONGED WIND EVENT IN A WK SHOULD BEGIN TO WIND DOWN TUE
NGT...ALTHO WINDS WL PRBLY NOT GO LGT B4 LATE AT NGT AS HIGH PRES
CONTS TO BUILD IN TO THE MID ATLC RGN. WINDS WILL STILL BE FM THE
WNW...SO UPSLOPE SNSH WL CONT TUE NGT IN THE HIGHLANDS...PRBLY
LASTING INTO WED MRNG B4 THE HIGH FINALLY BUILDS OVRHD.
&&
.LONG TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH MONDAY/...
AVG HIGH TEMPS SO FAR IN DEC SHOULD BE ARND 50 W/ LOWS IN THE
U20S/A30. AS OF YDA AT IAD AVG HIGH HAS BEEN 40 W/ A LOW OF 25.
NEXT SVRL DAYS SHOULD DO NOTHING TO BRING THAT AVG BACK UP TO THE
NORM AS E CST WL RMN IN COLD PATTERN COURTESY OF 2ND UPR LOW OVR
NEW ENGLAND IN A WK. NO HIGH TEMPS XPCTD MUCH ABV 40 IN THE NEXT
SVRL DAYS. LOWS IN THE U TEENS/L20S E OF THE MTNS INTO THE WKND.
I'VE INTRODUCED MENTION OF SN INTO THE FCST FOR THU AS LOW PRES
DVLPS OVR KY AND MOVES INTO THE MID ATLC RGN THU AFTN. THERE IS
SOME DIFFERENCE IN THE MDLS REGARDING THE XACT TRACK OF THE
LOW...BUT IT LOOKS LK THE TRACK WL BE FAR ENOUGH TO THE S THAT LWX
CWA SHOULD BE IN THE COLDER AIR - ALL SIGNS ARE 850 TEMP WL BE BLO
FRZG SO SN LOOKS TO THE P-TYPE. WE'RE STILL 3 DAYS AWAY....BUT THE
TRACK IS SUCH THAT A COUPLE OF INCHES COULD FALL OVR PARTS OF THE
CWA. FOR NOW HV INSERTED CHC POPS FOR THU AFTN. LATER SHIFTS CAN
EXPAND/REFINE AS NEEDED.
THERE IS A FAIR AMT OF UNCERTAINTY IN THE XTND BYND THIS PD - THIS
IS A FAST MOVING ATMOSPHERE W/ A LOT OF ENERGY IN IT. ONE THING
THAT DOES LOOK CERTAIN...AS STATED ABV...IS THE LACK OF ANY SIG
WARM UP THRU THE WKND. HIGH PRES LKLY TO MOVE INTO THE AREA TO END
THE WK. XTND MDLS HINT AT SOME TYPE OF LOW PRES AREA BEING CARRIED
ACROSS THE SRN STATES SUN OR MON. EARLIER MDL RUN HAD SHOWN THAT
LOW MOVG OFF THE CST AND DEEPENING RAPIDLY AS IT MOVES NE UP THE
CST...BUT NEW MDLS RUNS CARRY IT EAST INTO THE ATLC.
&&
.AVIATION /02Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
PRES GRADIENT WILL RMN TIGHT THRU TUE...YIELDING GUSTY NWLY WINDS
AT ALL TERMINALS. H9-H7 COLD AIR ADVCTN WILL SUSTAIN SUFFICIENT
INSTBY FOR CLD CVR TO PERSIST THRU EARLY TUE AFTN. CLD LYR MAY DIP
TO MVFR IN A FEW SPOTS NEAR WHERE PCPN DVLPS. CLD LYR SHUD EXCEED
3.5 KFT BY LATE TUE MRNG.
VFR CONDS ARE XPCTD TUE NGT AND WED...ALTHO IT WL CONTINUE TO BE
BRZY. LGT SNOW IS PSBL ON THU..EXACT TIMING IS UNCERTAIN...BUT
DEGRADATIONS TO CIG/VSBY ARE PSBL.
&&
.MARINE...
OCSNL GUSTS IN EXCESS OF GALE THRESHOLDS XPCD OVNGT AND TUE AS
PRES GRADIENT RMNS TIGHT AND COLD AIR ADVCTN SUSTAINS LOW-LVL
INSTBY. NO CHGS NEEDED TO PREV HAZARDS.
WINDS WL DROP BLO GALE WRNG LVL TUE NGT...BUT STRONG SML CRFT WL
CONT THRU THRU DAYBREAK WED. FURTHER SML CRFT ADVSRIES ARE XPCTD ON
WED. A PD OF SNOW IS PSBL ON THE WATERS THU.
&&
.LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
DC...NONE.
MD...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST TUESDAY FOR MDZ501.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EST TUESDAY FOR MDZ003-004-501-502.
WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST TUESDAY FOR MDZ501-502.
VA...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST TUESDAY FOR VAZ503.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EST TUESDAY FOR VAZ025>031-036>040-
503-504.
WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST TUESDAY FOR VAZ025>030-
036>040-504.
WIND CHILL WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST TUESDAY FOR VAZ503.
WV...WINTER STORM WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST TUESDAY FOR WVZ501-503-505.
WIND ADVISORY UNTIL 7 AM EST TUESDAY FOR WVZ050>053-055-
501>506.
WIND CHILL ADVISORY UNTIL 7 PM EST TUESDAY FOR WVZ050-055-
502>504-506.
WIND CHILL WARNING UNTIL 7 PM EST TUESDAY FOR WVZ501-505.
MARINE...GALE WARNING UNTIL 6 AM EST WEDNESDAY FOR ANZ530>534-537>543.
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FROM 6 PM TUESDAY TO 6 AM EST WEDNESDAY
FOR ANZ535-536.
GALE WARNING UNTIL 6 PM EST TUESDAY FOR ANZ535-536.
&&
UPDATES...KRAMAR
PREV DISCUSSION...JACKSON/WOODY!HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 641 PM EST MON DEC 13 2010 ANZ530>543-DCZ001-MDZ006-007-011-013-014-016>018-VAZ052>057- 141145- 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- 641 PM EST MON DEC 13 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 GALE WARNING IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR THE MARYLAND CHESAPEAKE BAY AND TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER. DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY A WIND ADVISORY LIKELY WILL BE NEEDED TUESDAY FOR PORTIONS OF THE OUTLOOK AREA. A GALE WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT TUESDAY FOR THE MARYLAND CHESAPEAKE BAY AND THE TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER...AND THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT FOR THE MARYLAND CHESAPEAKE BAY AND THE TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER FROM COBB ISLAND TO SMITH POINT. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TUESDAY NIGHT FOR THE TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER FROM KEY BRIDGE TO COBB ISLAND. A GALE WARNING LIKELY WILL BE NEEDED WEDNESDAY FOR PORTIONS OF THE WATERS. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR SNOW OR A WINTRY MIX THURSDAY ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. MDZ003>005-009-010-501-502-VAZ025>031-036>040-042-050-051-501>504- WVZ050>053-055-501>506-141145- WASHINGTON-FREDERICK MD-CARROLL-MONTGOMERY-HOWARD- EXTREME WESTERN ALLEGANY-CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALLEGANY-AUGUSTA- ROCKINGHAM-SHENANDOAH-FREDERICK VA-PAGE-WARREN-CLARKE-NELSON- ALBEMARLE-GREENE-MADISON-RAPPAHANNOCK-LOUDOUN-ORANGE-CULPEPER- NORTHERN FAUQUIER-SOUTHERN FAUQUIER-WESTERN HIGHLAND- EASTERN HIGHLAND-HAMPSHIRE-MORGAN-BERKELEY-JEFFERSON-HARDY- WESTERN GRANT-EASTERN GRANT-WESTERN MINERAL-EASTERN MINERAL- WESTERN PENDLETON-EASTERN PENDLETON- 641 PM EST MON DEC 13 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 WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR LOCATIONS ALONG AND WEST OF THE ALLEGHENY FRONT. A WIND CHILL WARNING IS IN EFFECT TONIGHT FOR WESTERN GRANT...WESTERN PENDLETON AND WESTERN HIGHLAND COUNTIES. A WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR THE REMAINING RIDGE TOPS ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE... SHENANDOAH VALLEY AND THE POTOMAC HIGHLANDS. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST HAZARD MESSAGE /WSWLWX/ FOR DETAILS. A WIND ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TONIGHT FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS OF THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS AND THE POTOMAC HIGHLANDS. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST HAZARD MESSAGE /NPWLWX/ FOR DETAILS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT TUESDAY FOR LOCATIONS ALONG AND WEST OF THE ALLEGHENY FRONT. ADDITIONAL SNOW ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED TUESDAY NIGHT. A WIND CHILL WARNING IS IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY FOR WESTERN GRANT...WESTERN PENDLETON AND WESTERN HIGHLAND COUNTIES. A WIND CHILL ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TUESDAY FOR THE REMAINING RIDGE TOPS ALONG THE BLUE RIDGE...SHENANDOAH VALLEY AND THE POTOMAC HIGHLANDS. PLEASE REFER TO THE LATEST HAZARD MESSAGE /WSWLWX/ FOR DETAILS. A WIND ADVISORY LIKELY WILL BE NEEDED TUESDAY FOR THE OUTLOOK AREA...AND FOR HIGHER ELEVATIONS TUESDAY NIGHT. STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND COLD TEMPERATURES WILL PRODUCE WIND CHILLS BELOW ZERO ACROSS THE HIGHLANDS TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MAY BE NEEDED DURING THIS TIME. THERE IS A CHANCE FOR SNOW OR A WINTRY MIX THURSDAY ACROSS THE OUTLOOK AREA. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME. PLEASE RELAY ANY SNOWFALL REPORTS TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. KRAMAR
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 extreme cold/wind chill. Local standard time, as filed.
Wind chill values were estimated to be around -20F across western Highland County.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2010Every state in 2010This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, December 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: 273579.