High pressure was centered across the region and due to previous snow from the day before moisture was lingering at the surface and led to dense fog across the Virginia Piedmont.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 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 was centered across the region and due to previous snow from the day before moisture was lingering at the surface and led to dense fog across the Virginia Piedmont.
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 17, 9:44 PM EST, 4 hours 31 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 944 PM EST TUE DEC 17 2013 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT AND UPPER TROUGH WILL MOVE OFF THE COAST LATER THIS EVENING. HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS BACK INTO THE AREA WEDNESDAY BEFORE MOVING OFFSHORE THURSDAY. A SLOW-MOVING FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL APPROACH FROM THE NORTHWEST THIS WEEKEND. && .NEAR TERM /TONIGHT THRU WED NGT/... PCPN ASSO W/ THE FNTL BNDRY TAKING ITS TIME EXITING THE NRN NECK OF VA/LWR SRN MD...BUT IT IS SLOWLY PROGRESSING OUT OF THE AREA. 00Z IAD/RNK SNDGS STILL QUITE MOIST UP TO 500 MB - IT WL PRBLY STILL BE SVRL HRS UNTIL CLRG MOVES IN..BUT THAT SHOULD OCCUR B4 SUNRISE. HIPRES BLDS OVER CWFA WED-WED NGT. MTN SHSN SHUD LINGER INTO WED MRNG BEFORE SUBSIDENCE REDUCES INVSN HGTS. A FEW DIURNAL CU PSBL WED AFTN...OTRW AMS WL BE QUITE DRY AND CLDS SHUD BE SCARCE. TEMPS NOT FAR FM MOS MEAN FOR MAX AND MIN-T. && .SHORT TERM /THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NIGHT/... THURS...THE QUIET DAY THIS WEEK...W/ HIGH PRESSURE HAVING ITS BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON THE AREAS AS IT SLIDES ACROSS THE SOUTHEAST AND OFF THE SRN ATLC COAST. THIS WILL START-UP THE RELATIVELY WARMER SLY FLOW THAT WILL EVENTUALLY WARM THE AREA WELL ABOVE AVG HEADING INTO THE WEEKEND. NRN MD WILL STILL RESIDE IN THE 40S FOR DAYTIME HIGHS...BUT THE BULK OF NRN VA WILL SEE L-M50S MAINLY CLEAR SKIES. OFF TO THE WEST...A COUPLE OF LARGER-SCALE LOW PRESSURE FEATURES WILL BE GEARING UP FOR THEIR EWD TREK INTO THE WEEKEND. THE FIRST IS A FAST-MOVING SHORTWAVE TROUGH WILL MOVE FROM THE NRN PLAINS TO NEW ENGLAND BETWEEN THU AND FRI NIGHT. WHILE THIS FEATURE WILL PASS TO OUR NORTH...IT WILL USHER IN MORE CLOUDS AND INCREASE THE SFC PRES GRADIENT - CAUSING SFC WINDS TO PICK UP ON FRI AFTN. BREEZY SW WINDS WILL CONTINUE TO HELP WARM UP THE REGION LATE THIS WEEK...W/ TEMPS CLIMBING BACK INTO THE 50S AND L60S. && .LONG TERM /SATURDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... THIS WEEKEND...THE REGION WILL BE SITUATED IN BETWEEN AN AMPLIFYING UPPER TROUGH OVER THE CENTRAL CONUS AND THE RIDGE THAT WILL BE PARKED OVER THE WRN ATLANTIC. THE WAVELENGTH BETWEEN THE UPSTREAM TROUGH - DOWNSTREAM RIDGE WILL SHORTEN...YIELDING A STRENGTHENING MERIDIONAL FLOW OVER THE ERN CONUS. THE SWLY STEERING FLOW WILL BECOME ORIENTED PARALLEL TO THE FRONTAL BOUNDARY...CAUSING IT TO STALL. THE 12Z MODELS ARE IN GOOD AGREEMENT WITH THE SURFACE BOUNDARY STALLING JUST WEST OF THE APPALACHIAN MTNS OVERNIGHT THURSDAY. LOW PRESSURE WILL RIDE ALONG THIS BOUNDARY FROM TEXAS THROUGH THE DAY SATURDAY AND BEGIN TO IMPACT THE AREA EARLY SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THE LOW CENTER WILL PASS TO THE WEST OF THE CWA AND CONTINUE OFF TOWARD NEW ENGLAND...PROVIDING THE REINFORCEMENT NEEDED TO FINALLY MOVE THE FRONT THROUGH OUR AREA ON SUNDAY. CATEGORICAL POPS BEGIN FOR THE WESTERN PART OF THE CWA AS THE LOW PASSES TO OUR WEST SUNDAY MORNING...TAPERING OFF LIKELY POPS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE AREA DURING ACTUAL FRONTAL PASSAGE SUNDAY EVENING. PRECIP WITH THIS SYSTEM LOOKS TO BE PRIMARILY FROM RAIN SHOWERS...BUT WITH PERSISTENT WAA AHEAD OF THE FRONT ENCOURAGING INSTABILITY AND THE GFS SHOWING LI VALUES NEAR NEGATIVE 3 EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE SOME THUNDER CAN NOT BE RULED OUT. INCLUDED SLIGHT CHANCE OF THUNDER FOR AREAS WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE FOR SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND NIGHT FOR NOW. MILD TEMPS BEGIN ON THURSDAY WITH WELL ABOVE SEASONAL TEMPS IN STORE FOR SATURDAY AND SUNDAY. HIGH PRESSURE WILL MOVE BACK OVER THE AREA BY OVERNIGHT MONDAY AND THE WORKWEEK WILL START OUT WITH MORE SEASONABLE TEMPERATURES. && .AVIATION /03Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... VFR TNGT-TMRW. NW WNDS PICK UP TNGT...PSBLY W/ A FEW 20-25 KT GUSTS WED. SHUD HV A FEW CU DVLP WED...BUT BASES WL BE 040-050. HIGH PRESSURE THU-FRI...W/ THE MAIN CONCERN THE SFC WINDS PICKING UP INTO THE 15-20KT RANGE FRI AFTN - QUIET AND CLEAR ON THU. IFR AND LIFR CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS RAIN SHOWERS CAN SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCE VISIBILITY. VFR CONDITIONS SHOULD RESUME TO BEGIN NEXT WORKWEEK. && .MARINE... NW FLOW PICKS UP TNGT BHD CD FNT...AND SHUD BE GUSTY LATE TNGT THRU THE DAY WED. SCA ALREADY IN PLACE FOR G20-25 KT. HIPRES OVERSPREADS WATERS WED NGT. AS A LARGE SFC HIGH ROLLS OFF THE SRN ATLC COAST THU INTO FRI...S-SWLY WINDS WILL PICK UP ACROSS THE REGION W/ THE MOST LIKELY PERIOD OF SCA GUSTS ON FRI AFTN/EVE...POSSIBLY EXTENDING AT LEAST INTO SATURDAY NIGHT - AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT. NORTHERLY WINDS WILL PICK UP WITH AND BEHIND THE FRONTAL PASSAGE ON SUNDAY AND INTO MONDAY MAKING A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY POSSIBLE THROUGH THIS TIME AS WELL. && .LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... DC...NONE. MD...NONE. VA...NONE. WV...NONE. MARINE...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY UNTIL 6 PM EST WEDNESDAY FOR ANZ530>543. && UPDATE...WOODY PRVS...HTS/GMS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 953 PM EST TUE DEC 17 2013 ANZ530>543-DCZ001-MDZ006-007-011-013-014-016>018-VAZ052>057- 181000- 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- 953 PM EST TUE DEC 17 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 A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR THE WATERS LATE TONIGHT. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY THE SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONTINUES FOR THE WATERS THROUGH WEDNESDAY. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MAY BE NEEDED FOR PORTIONS OF THE WATERS LATE THURSDAY THROUGH THE WEEKEND. .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>506-181000- 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- 953 PM EST TUE DEC 17 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...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 144 AM EST WED DEC 18 2013 ANZ538-DCZ001-MDZ009-013-014-016>018-VAZ038>040-042-050>057-501- 502-181230- PATAPSCO RIVER INCLUDING BALTIMORE HARBOR-DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA- MONTGOMERY-PRINCE GEORGES-ANNE ARUNDEL-CHARLES-ST. MARYS-CALVERT- GREENE-MADISON-RAPPAHANNOCK-LOUDOUN-ORANGE-CULPEPER- PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK-FAIRFAX- ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA-STAFFORD-SPOTSYLVANIA- KING GEORGE-NORTHERN FAUQUIER-SOUTHERN FAUQUIER- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WASHINGTON...GAITHERSBURG...ANNAPOLIS... WALDORF...ST MARYS CITY...LEESBURG...CULPEPER...MANASSAS... MANASSAS PARK...FAIRFAX...ALEXANDRIA...FALLS CHURCH... FREDERICKSBURG...WARRENTON 144 AM EST WED DEC 18 2013 ...ICY ROADS POSSIBLE REST OF THE OVERNIGHT... LATE EVENING PRECIPITATION OCCURRED ACROSS THE AREA AND CLEARING SKIES HAVE ALLOWED TEMPERATURES TO DROP BELOW FREEZING. UNTREATED ROADWAYS WILL LIKELY BE ICY...PARTICULARLY FOR BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES...THROUGH SUNRISE. JACKSON
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
1 dense fog. Local standard time, as filed.
Visibility of a quarter or less was reported at Warrenton 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, December 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: 491740.