High pressure over the Mid Atlantic led to clear and calm conditions and dense fog formed across most of the region.
Every event with a place to put it; 15 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.
High pressure over the Mid Atlantic led to clear and calm conditions and dense fog formed across most of the region.
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 19, 7:53 PM EST, 5 hours 2 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 853 PM EDT MON AUG 19 2013 .SYNOPSIS... HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD OVER THE REGION THROUGH TONIGHT AND PERSIST UNTIL WEDNESDAY. A TROUGH WILL BRING SOME UNSETTLED WEATHER TO THE REGION WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY BEFORE A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH EARLY FRIDAY. HIGH PRESSURE RETURNS FOR THIS WEEKEND INTO MONDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TUESDAY/... AS OF 0030Z...UPR TROUGH AXIS NEAR THE BLUE RIDGE PER WV IMAGERY AND ISOLATED SHOWER ACTIVITY OVER THE CENTRAL SHENANDOAH VALLEY. THIS LINGERING SHRA ACTIVITY SHOULD DIMINISH BEFORE 10 PM WITH DUE TO LOSS OF HEATING AND THE SHORTWAVE TROUGH EXITING THE AREA. HIPRES CONTINUES TO BUILD FROM THE WEST THROUGH TNGT. SKIES WILL CLEAR QUICKLY FROM WEST TO EAST THROUGH THE MIDNIGHT HOUR AS THE COLUMN ALOFT DRIES RAPIDLY. DRY AIR ADVECTION NEAR THE SFC WILL BE MINIMAL THOUGH...SETTING THE STAGE FOR FOG DEVELOPMENT TNGT. THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FOG TO BECOME LOCALLY DENSE...PARTICULARLY IN VLYS WHERE SKIES STAY CLEAR OVNGT. BOTH SFC HIPRES AND UPPER RIDGING OVER THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION WILL PRODUCE A DRY WX PATTERN TUE. SYNOPTIC-SCALE SUBSIDENCE AND ABUNDANT DAYTIME SUNSHINE WILL CONTRIBUTE TO MAX TEMPS REACHING THE MID TO UPPER 80S ON TUE...WHICH WILL BE THE WARMEST DAY IN A WEEK. && .SHORT TERM /TUESDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY NIGHT/... HIPRES BEGINS TO SHIFT OFF THE CAROLINA COAST TUE NGT INTO WED. SLY RETURN FLOW ON THE WRN PERIPHERY OF THE HIGH WILL ALLOW TROPICAL MOISTURE TO RETURN NWD INTO THE MID-ATLANTIC REGION DURING THE PERIOD. ANY PRECIP SHOULD REMAIN UPSTREAM (I.E. SOUTH AND WEST) OF THE AREA TUE NGT WITH THE MID-LVL RIDGE AXIS STILL OVERHEAD. CLOUDS WILL BEGIN TO STREAM INTO THE FAR SWRN PORTION OF THE CWA LATE TUE NGT. PATCHY RADIATIONAL FOG POSSIBLE OVNGT IN AREAS THAT REMAIN CLEAR. THE RIDGE MOVES OFF THE ERN SEABOARD WED AND WED NGT THOUGH AS HEIGHT FALLS OCCUR AHEAD OF AN UPPER LOW THAT IS APPROACHING FROM THE MIDWEST. MODELS ARE IN GENERAL AGREEMENT WITH A LEADING SHORTWAVE TROUGH EJECTING NEWD AHEAD OF THE MAIN LOW. THIS FEATURE...WHICH IS FCST TO TRACK OVER THE MTS OF THE CWA WED AFTN AND EVE...WILL PROVIDE LIFT FOR SHOWERS AND STORMS DURING THE PEAK HEATING HRS. FCST POPS INCREASE FROM NE TO SW WITH HIGHEST POPS /HIGH CHANCE/ RESIDING IN THE SRN POTOMAC HIGHLANDS AND CENTRAL SHENANDOAH VLY. PWATS INCREASE TO BETWEEN 1.5 AND 2 INCHES LATE IN THE DAY WHILE SFC DEWPOINTS RISE INTO THE UPPER 60S/LOWER 70S. WITH A WEAK WIND FIELD ALOFT...ANY SHOWERS AND STORMS THAT DEVELOP WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE LOCALLY HEAVY DOWNPOURS. WITH FFG HIGH FROM THE RELATIVELY DRY ANTECEDENT CONDITIONS AND UNCERTAINTY IN COVERAGE OF CONVECTION...OPTED TO NOT MENTION A FLASH FLOOD THREAT IN THE HWO ATTM. && .LONG TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... THE UPPER-LEVEL LOW WILL WEAKEN AND ROTATE THROUGH AS AN UPPER-LEVEL TROUGH THURSDAY. A SURFACE TROUGH WILL ALSO REMAIN OVER THE REGION DURING THIS TIME. A FEW SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE...BUT MUCH OF THE TIME MAY TURN OUT DRY. TEMPERATURES WILL BE NEAR CLIMO. A COLD FRONT WILL PASS THROUGH THE REGION THU NGT INTO FRIDAY... BRINGING THE CHANCE FOR MORE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS. THE UPPER LOW WILL MOVE ACROSS THE NORTHEAST STATES FRI NGT AND SAT WHILE SFC HIPRES BUILDS IN FROM THE GREAT LAKES. NW FLOW BEHIND THE TROUGH WILL BRING COOLER AND DRIER CANADIAN AIR INTO THE MID- ATLANTIC REGION FOR THE WEEKEND. && .AVIATION /01Z TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/... VFR PREVAILS THROUGH MIDNIGHT WITH ISOLATED SHEN VLY SHOWERS DYING BY 02Z... WITH SKIES CLEARING TNGT AS HIGH PRES BUILDS FROM THE WEST...AREAS OF FOG EXPECTED TO DEVELOP LATE AS SKIES CLEAR AND SFC MOISTURE PERSISTS. IFR CIGS OVNGT/ERY MRNG AT CHO/MRB WHERE CONFIDENCE FOR FOG IS HIGHEST. WENT FOR GROUND FOG (MIFG) FOR 00Z TAFS...BUT THERE IS A CHANCE FOR A PERIOD OF IFR IF SKC OCCURS AND THE TERMINAL EXPERIENCE A WET GROUND FROM ANY PRECIP LATER TDA. AFTER FOG MIXES OUT BY MID MRNG TUE...VFR CONDITIONS AND LGT WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED THRU THE REMAINDER OF THE DAY WITH HIPRES IN CONTROL. ANY FOG ON TUE NGT NOT EXPECTED TO BECOME AS WIDESPREAD AS IT POTENTIALLY MAY BE TNGT DUE TO CLOUD COVER INCREASING FROM THE SOUTH. CHANCES FOR SHRA AND TSRA DURING THE SECOND HALF OF THE WEEK. ON WED SPECIFICALLY...PRECIP CHANCES HIGHEST IN VC OF CHO WHILE NERN TERMINALS /E.G. BWI AND MTN/ ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN DRY. A COLD FRONT IS FCST TO APPROACH FROM THE NW ON THU BEFORE MOVING THRU THU NGT INTO FRI. && .MARINE... A WEAK PRESSURE GRADIENT WILL YIELD LGT WINDS 10 KT OR LESS THRU MIDWEEK. SLY WINDS THRU THIS EVE WILL BECOME VARIABLE LATE TNGT AND ON TUE WITH HIPRES OVER THE WATERS. A LGT SLY RETURN FLOW DEVELOPS TUE NGT THRU THU ONCE HIPRES MOVES OFF THE SOUTHEAST COAST. SHOWERS AND STORMS POSSIBLE AHEAD OF A COLD FRONT THU. NWLY WINDS MAY INCREASE TO 10-15 KT BEHIND THE COLD FRONT ON FRI. HIPRES WILL BUILD IN FROM THE GREAT LAKES THIS WEEKEND. && .LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... DC...NONE. MD...NONE. VA...NONE. WV...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...BAJ/JRK NEAR TERM...BAJ/JRK SHORT TERM...JRK LONG TERM...BJL AVIATION...BAJ/JRK/BJL MARINE...JRK/BJL
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 745 PM EDT MON AUG 19 2013 ANZ530>543-DCZ001-MDZ006-007-011-013-014-016>018-VAZ052>057- 201045- 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- 745 PM EDT MON AUG 19 2013 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 NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. MDZ003>005-009-010-501-502-VAZ025>031-036>040-042-050-051-501>504- WVZ050>053-055-501>506-201045- 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- 745 PM EDT MON AUG 19 2013 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 NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
16 dense fog. Local standard time, as filed.
Visibilities around a quarter mile were estimated at Luray Airport and by satellite.
Visibilities around a quarter mile were estimated at Luray Airport and by satellite.
Visibilities around a quarter mile were measured at Luray Airport and by satellite.
Visibilities around a quarter mile were estimated at Luray Airport.
Visibilities around a quarter mile were estimated at Luray Airport.
Visibilities around a quarter mile were measured at Charlottesville Airport.
Visibilities around a quarter mile were estimated at Charlottesville Airport.
Visibilities around a quarter mile were measured at Warrenton Airport.
Visibilities around a quarter mile were estimated at Petersburg Airport.
Visibilities around a quarter mile were measured at Culpeper Airport.
Visibilities around a quarter mile were measured at Martinsburg and Luray airports and by satellite.
Visibilities around a quarter mile were measured at Orange Airport.
Visibilities around a quarter mile were measured at Manassas Airport.
Visibilities around a quarter mile were measured at Stafford Airport.
Visibilities around a quarter mile were measured at Fredericksburg Airport.
Visibilities around a quarter mile were estimated at Fredericksburg Airport.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2013Every state in 2013This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, August 2013
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: 474208, 474209, 474210, 474211, 474212, 474213, 474214, 474218, 474219, 474222, 474220, 474221, 474223, 474215, 474216, 474217.