A cold front moved southward through the Central Foothills and stalled. A few upper level disturbances moved over this region as well.
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.
A cold front moved southward through the Central Foothills and stalled. A few upper level disturbances moved over this region as well. Thunderstorms developed near this frontal boundary.
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 May 16, 11:55 AM EST, 2 hours 4 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 1255 PM EDT THU MAY 16 2013 .SYNOPSIS... A COLD FRONT WILL SAG SOUTHWARD ACROSS THE AREA TODAY. THE FRONT WILL STALL JUST SOUTH OF THE REGION THROUGH THE WEEKEND WHILE HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS TO THE NORTH IN NEW ENGLAND. THE STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL LIFT NORTHWARD ACROSS THE REGION AS A WARM FRONT EARLY NEXT WEEK. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... COORDINATED WITH SPC A SHORT TIME AGO. AREA FROM CENTRAL VIRGINIA EAST ACROSS SOUTHERN MARYLAND HAS DESTABILIZED WITH HIGH DEWPOINT DEPRESSIONS YIELDING AN INVERTED V SOUNDING PROFILE. VISIBLE SATELLITE ANALYSIS SHOWS CUMULUS FIELD EXPANDING WITHIN THIS AREA. SHOWERS/ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. WILL UPDATE THE HWO TO REFLECT NEW TRENDS. HAVE UPDATED POP AND WX GRIDS AS WELL. WILL CONTINUE TO SEE LOWER COVERAGE OVER NORTHERN SECTIONS OF THE FORECAST AREA AND HIGHER TRENDS SOUTH INTO THE FIRST PART OF TONIGHT. && .SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... FRONTAL BOUNDARY IS FORECAST TO STALL OUT TO THE SOUTH OF THE AREA FRIDAY INTO THE WEEKEND AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS TO THE NORTH ACROSS EASTERN CANADA AND NEW ENGLAND. ON FRIDAY HAVE FOCUSED POPS/THUNDERSTORM POTENTIAL ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST PORTION OF THE CWA CLOSEST TO THE BOUNDARY WITH A DRY FORECAST FURTHER NORTHEAST TOWARD THE DC-BALT METRO AREA. HOWEVER OVER THE WEEKEND...EVEN WITH THE BOUNDARY TO THE SOUTH MODELS INDICATE SIGNS OF LIFT INCREASING TO THE NORTH LIKELY DUE TO VORT MAXES/SHORTWAVES IN 500 MB FLOW IN TANDEM WITH LOW LEVEL EASTERLY FLOW. THEREFORE POPS EXPAND NORTHEASTWARD DURING THE WEEKEND. AT THE SURFACE...AFOREMENTIONED EASTERLY LOW LEVEL FLOW IS EXPECTED TO TREND MAXIMA DOWNWARD TO BELOW NORMAL OVER THE WEEKEND WITH NEAR TO SLIGHTLY ABOVE NORMAL MINIMA. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL LIFT BACK TO THE NORTH AS A WARM FRONT EARLY NEXT WEEK...ALLOWING TEMPERATURES TO TREND UPWARD THROUGH MID-WEEK IN ADVANCE OF THE NEXT LARGER SCALE SHORTWAVE. UNSETTLED CONDITIONS WITH A CHANCE OF CONVECTION IS EXPECTED THROUGH THEN. && .AVIATION /18Z THURSDAY THROUGH TUESDAY/... VFR CONDITIONS FOR THE MOST PART. SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS/ISOLATED THUNDER WILL BECOME FOCUSED FROM CENTRAL VIRGINIA EAST ACROSS LOWER SOUTHERN MARYLAND. POTENTIAL FOR LOCALIZED DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. FRONTAL BOUNDARY IS FORECAST TO STALL OUT TO THE SOUTH OF THE AREA THROUGH THE WEEKEND THEN RETURN NORTH AS A WARM FRONT EARLY NEXT WEEK. HUBS LOOK TO STAY DRY ON FRIDAY...BUT A CHANCE OF SHOWERS WILL RETURN NORTH OVER THE WEEKEND AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE NEXT WEEK. && .MARINE... ONLY A STEADY 10KT BREEZE THROUGHOUT THE DAY...HELPED BY THE INCREASE IN CLOUD COVER. BATCHES OF ISOLATED TO SCATTERED SHOWERS AND TSTMS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP LATER THIS AFTN...SOME OF WHICH COULD CAUSE GUSTY WINDS TO MIX DOWN. TSTMS WILL SUBSIDE AND DRIFT TOWARD THE ESE LATER TONIGHT AND AWAY FROM THE REGION. FRONTAL BOUNDARY WILL STALL OUT SOUTH OF THE WATERS THROUGH THE WEEKEND BEFORE LIFTING BACK TO THE NORTH EARLY NEXT WEEK. GRADIENT IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN FAIRLY WEAK THROUGH THE PERIOD. AS WINDS BECOME EAST-SOUTHEAST OVER THE WEEKEND...WINDS MAY FLIRT WITH MARGINAL SCA CRITERIA OVER A PORTION OF THE BAY. && .LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... DC...NONE. MD...NONE. VA...NONE. WV...NONE. MARINE...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...BPP/GMS NEAR TERM...KRW SHORT TERM...BPP LONG TERM...BPP AVIATION...BPP/KRW MARINE...BPP/KRW
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 1259 PM EDT THU MAY 16 2013 ANZ530>543-DCZ001-MDZ006-007-011-013-014-016>018-VAZ052>057- 171400- 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- 1259 PM EDT THU MAY 16 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...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ISOLATED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING FROM CENTRAL VIRGINIA EAST ACROSS SOUTHERN MARYLAND. THE MAIN THREAT WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY 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>506-171400- 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- 1259 PM EDT THU MAY 16 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...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT ISOLATED STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON INTO THE EARLY EVENING FROM CENTRAL VIRGINIA EAST ACROSS SOUTHERN MARYLAND. THE MAIN THREAT WITH THESE STORMS WILL BE DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
225 PM EDT THU MAY 16 2013
VAZ025-026-036>038-161900-
NELSON VA-GREENE VA-ROCKINGHAM VA-ALBEMARLE VA-AUGUSTA VA-
225 PM EDT THU MAY 16 2013
...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS TO AFFECT NELSON...GREENE...ROCKINGHAM...
ALBEMARLE AND AUGUSTA COUNTIES...
AT 225 PM EDT...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE
EXTENDING FROM BOONESVILLE TO 5 MILES SOUTH OF CRAIGSVILLE...MOVING
SOUTHEAST AT 15 MPH.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE FREE UNION...LYNDHURST...CROZET...AFTON...
SHERANDO...SCOTT STADIUM AND MONTEBELLO.
WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS.
&&
LAT...LON 3832 7854 3807 7829 3785 7915 3789 7916
3808 7948
TIME...MOT...LOC 1825Z 321DEG 14KT 3822 7858 3801 7940SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
246 PM EDT THU MAY 16 2013
VAZ037-050-161915-
ORANGE VA-ALBEMARLE VA-
246 PM EDT THU MAY 16 2013
...STRONG THUNDERSTORM TO AFFECT ORANGE AND ALBEMARLE COUNTIES...
AT 246 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 4 MILES SOUTHWEST
OF FREE UNION...MOVING EAST AT 20 MPH.
LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE SCOTT STADIUM.
HEAVY RAIN WITH THIS STORM WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO BELOW ONE MILE
AND MAY CAUSE PONDING OF WATER ON ROADWAYS.
WIND GUSTS OF 40 TO 50 MPH AND SMALL HAIL CAN BE EXPECTED WITH THIS
STORM.
&&
LAT...LON 3805 7873 3822 7867 3814 7816 3813 7817
3812 7821 3807 7824 3794 7836
TIME...MOT...LOC 1846Z 286DEG 18KT 3811 7859The Sterling radar (KLWX), 140 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:59 UTC.
1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
There was a tree down near 1000 block of Owensville Road.
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, May 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: 455865.