An upper-level trough triggered thunderstorms, and some thunderstorms became severe due to a hot and humid air mass in place.
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.
An upper-level trough triggered thunderstorms, and some thunderstorms became severe due to a hot and humid air mass in place.
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 6, 9:38 AM EST, 3 hours 38 minutes earlier.
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 1038 AM EDT Sat Aug 6 2016 .SYNOPSIS... A cold front will move across the area this afternoon. High pressure returns for the first part of the week. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/... Cold front to the west this morning with scattered showers forming out ahead along a pre-frontal trough. Expecting these showers to impact mainly near the Mason-Dixon thru the rest of the morning. Looking ahead to this afternoon, the front is expected to swing through generally late afternoon into the evening time period. Cloudy conditions currently noted in the vis satellite over northern half of the CWA, but already seeing clearing central VA and southern MD which will lead to plenty of diurnal heating for the day. Dew points noted in the low to mid 70s as well and with persistent southerly flow ahead of the front, not anticipating too much of a drop in the lower level moisture. Should see the clouds over the northern half start to scatter mid day, but even if they do linger, still expecting decent instability to develop. Overall looking at a more higher instability/lower shear day, with the better shear remaining to the north. The stronger forcing aloft with the shortwave moving through looks to also stay more to the north as well. Will continue with scattered showers and thunderstorms in the forecast for this afternoon, some resulting in gusty-stronger winds (especially Baltimore metro area). Should also note that PWats between 1.5-2.0 inches will mean any thunderstorm will produce brief heavy rainfall. The flow should be progressive and the activity pulsey/scattered enough to minimize the flooding threat. && .SHORT TERM /TONIGHT THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT/... After the front pushes into central VA the central Shenandoah Valley will be the only place with evening PoPs...and those would be ending after midnight. Lows will range from the low 60s in the Highlands to the mid 70s in lower southern MD. The majority of the region will drop to the upper 60s. No problems foreseen for Sunday or Sunday night. Highs in the mid to upper 80s Sunday...60s almost all of the area Sunday night. && .LONG TERM /MONDAY THROUGH FRIDAY/... The work week will begin with a ridge of surface high pressure progressing across the area while the region remains on the southern periphery of the upper level shortwave track. Moisture will be lacking on Monday, so any convection that develops will likely be terrain-influenced and confined to areas south of US 48. As the surface high slides east on Tuesday, return flow will begin, with dewpoints noticeably higher. Even so, there is nothing notable to spark convection other than terrain and the heat of the day, so PoPs remain fairly low. Same situation on Wednesday. Uncertainty increases in the forecast for the second half of the work week. The upper ridge weakens a bit, which should allow a cold front to try to move southward across the eastern Great Lakes. It seems unlikely that it will reach this far south, so we remain hot and humid. The question for precip development is whether some sort of moisture connection develops between here and the forecast-to- meander low down in the Gulf of Mexico. If that happens, as the GFS depicts, precipitable water values would surge to nearly 2.5 inches and heavy rain becomes a renewed threat by Friday. The ECMWF has no such connection at this time and is in fact largely dry around here for the same time period. With the uncertainty, not planning substantial change to the going forecast. && .AVIATION /15Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... Generally VFR conditions today. Scattered afternoon/evening thunderstorms possible at all the TAF sites, generally 19-23z. Will fine tune exact timing with amendments. Any thunderstorm could bring gusty winds and brief heavy rain fall resulting in sub-VFR conditions. Winds SW up to 10 kts, becoming NW 5-10 kts in the wake of the cold front tonight. VFR conditions tonight through Sunday night. No issues expected at the terminals for the first half of the work week. Isolated to scattered showers and thunderstorms could form in the heat of the afternoon, with the best chance at CHO. && .MARINE... Sub-SCA conditions on all waters through Sunday night. Scattered showers and thunderstorms possible on all the waters today/this evening. Any storm could produce gustier winds, especially over the northern Chesapeake Bay. Will monitor for possible issuance of SMWs. Winds will be light under high pressure Monday through Wednesday. Isolated thunderstorms possible each afternoon/evening. && .LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... DC...None. MD...None. VA...None. WV...None. MARINE...None. && Update...SEARS Previous Discussion...Woody!/JE
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 918 AM EDT SAT AUG 6 2016 ANZ530>543-DCZ001-MDZ011-013-014-016>018-508-VAZ052>057-071330- 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-SOUTHERN BALTIMORE-PRINCE GEORGES- ANNE ARUNDEL-CHARLES-ST. MARYS-CALVERT-SOUTHEAST HARFORD- PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK-FAIRFAX- ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA-STAFFORD-SPOTSYLVANIA- KING GEORGE- 918 AM EDT SAT AUG 6 2016 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...TODAY AND TONIGHT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS MAY IMPACT THE WATERS THIS AFTERNOON...PRODUCING GUSTY WINDS ESPECIALLY OVER NORTHERN CHESAPEAKE BAY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. MDZ003>006-501>507-VAZ025>031-036>040-050-051-501>508-WVZ050>053- 055-501>506-071330- WASHINGTON-FREDERICK MD-CARROLL-NORTHERN BALTIMORE- EXTREME WESTERN ALLEGANY-CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALLEGANY- NORTHWEST MONTGOMERY-CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MONTGOMERY- NORTHWEST HOWARD-CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST HOWARD-NORTHWEST HARFORD- AUGUSTA-ROCKINGHAM-SHENANDOAH-FREDERICK VA-PAGE-WARREN-CLARKE- NELSON-ALBEMARLE-GREENE-MADISON-RAPPAHANNOCK-ORANGE-CULPEPER- NORTHERN FAUQUIER-SOUTHERN FAUQUIER-WESTERN HIGHLAND- EASTERN HIGHLAND-WESTERN LOUDOUN-EASTERN LOUDOUN- NORTHERN VIRGINIA BLUE RIDGE-CENTRAL VIRGINIA BLUE RIDGE- HAMPSHIRE-MORGAN-BERKELEY-JEFFERSON-HARDY-WESTERN GRANT- EASTERN GRANT-WESTERN MINERAL-EASTERN MINERAL-WESTERN PENDLETON- EASTERN PENDLETON- 918 AM EDT SAT AUG 6 2016 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...TODAY AND TONIGHT NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION IS NOT EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.
The Sterling radar (KLWX), 47 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 18:17 UTC.
21 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
A large tree was down blocking both lanes of Spring Road at Elway Lane.
A large tree limb was down blocking one lane of Walker Drive at Breezewood Drive.
A tree was down in the 13000 Block of Commonwealth Parkway.
A tree was down in the roadway along the 22000 Block of Algonquin Trail.
A tree was down blocking the roadway near the intersection of Algonquin Trail and Batna Road.
A tree was down on Dick Woods Road near Taylors Gap Road.
A tree was down blocking the roadway near the intersection of Langford Drive and Dick Woods Road.
A tree was down on Tilman Road near Ivy Road.
A tree was down near the intersection of Monacan Trail Road and Poorhouse Road.
A tree was down near the intersection of Morgantown Road and Grassmere Road.
A tree was down near the intersection of Morgantown Road and Ivy Road.
A tree was down in the 900 Block of Monacan Trail Road.
A tree was down on Carters Mountain Road near Deer Ridge Farm.
A tree was down near the intersection of Red Hill Road and Old Lynchburg Road.
A large tree limb was blocking the roadway near the intersection of Rolling Road and Presidents Road.
A tree was down near the intersection of Thomas Jefferson Parkway and Milton Road.
A tree was down near the intersection of Scottsville Road and Red Hill Road.
A tree was down in the 6500 Block of Blenheim Road.
A tree was down in the 900 Block of Holly Road.
A tree was down near the intersection of James River Road and Totier Creek Road.
A tree was down blocking the 2500 Block of Irish Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2016Every state in 2016This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, August 2016
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: 648507, 648508, 648509, 648510, 648511, 648514, 648516, 648517, 648518, 648519, 648520, 648522, 648523, 648524, 648525, 648527, 648528, 648529, 648530, 648531, 648526.