Maryland, 2025

Flash Flooding in Maryland, July 19, 2025

July 19, 2025 · NWS LWX · 15 events in 1 county or zone

An unstable atmosphere along with plenty of moisture led to the development of showers and thunderstorms. The thunderstorms were slow moving, and trained over the same areas in spots resulting in flash flooding.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.

  • Tornadoes
  • Tropical storms and surge
  • Floods
  • Wind
  • Hail
  • Winter weather
  • Heat and drought
  • Cold
  • Fire, smoke and dust
  • Marine and coastal
  • Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths
0
Injuries
0
Property damage
None recorded
Crop damage
None recorded
Events
15

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.

What happened

The episode as NWS LWX wrote it up.

An unstable atmosphere along with plenty of moisture led to the development of showers and thunderstorms. The thunderstorms were slow moving, and trained over the same areas in spots resulting in flash flooding. Localized rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches were observed, with upwards of 5 inches in the most persistent thunderstorms.

What forecasters said that day

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 Jul 19, 3:20 PM EST, 57 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jul 19, 3:20 PM EST, 57 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jul 19, 2:31 PM EST, 1 hour 46 minutes before
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In the hours before

Local storm report, Jul 19, 2:42 PM EST, 1 hour 35 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 19, 2:48 PM EST, 1 hour 29 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 19, 2:50 PM EST, 1 hour 27 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 19, 4:06 PM EST, 11 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 19, 4:12 PM EST, 5 minutes before
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Local storm report, Jul 19, 4:17 PM EST, 0 minutes before
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The radar

The Sterling radar (KLWX), 41 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:18 UTC.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

15 flash flood. Local standard time, as filed.

Flash Flood, Montgomery

When
July 19, 4:17 PM EST to 5:17 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, 0.88 mi NW of Takoma Park to 1.01 mi NNW of Takoma Park
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
38.980, -77.010

Water rescue reported at intersection of Cedar Avenue and Old Philadelphia Avenue. Water reported to be flowing at least one foot deep.

Flash Flood, Montgomery

When
July 19, 4:25 PM EST to 5:25 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, 1.48 mi NNW of Takoma Park to 1.38 mi NNW of Takoma Park
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
38.990, -77.010

The stream gage on Sligo Creek at Takoma Park rose to flood stage, which is at 5.5 feet, rapidly in less than an hour. The gage then crested at 7.52 feet shortly thereafter. This was a little over a 6 foot rise in just over an hour.

Flash Flood, Montgomery

When
July 19, 4:31 PM EST to 5:31 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, 0.87 mi SE of Capitol View Park to 0.84 mi NNE of Georgetown Jct
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
39.010, -77.040

At least six inches of rapidly flowing water was along Georgia Avenue and Columbia Boulevard.

Flash Flood, Montgomery

When
July 19, 4:38 PM EST to 5:38 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, 0.88 mi NE of Takoma Park to 0.93 mi NNE of Takoma Park
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Mesonet
Coordinates
38.980, -76.990

Flood sensor at Sligo Creek Parkway and New Hampshire | Avenue (MD 650) had a 10 feet rise in 30 minutes.

Flash Flood, Montgomery

When
July 19, 4:50 PM EST to 5:50 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, 0.69 mi S of Georgetown Jct to 0.49 mi SW of Georgetown Jct
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
38.990, -77.050

Five feet of standing water at the intersection of East-West Hwy and Washington Ave. One car and a fire truck stranded in the water.

Flash Flood, Montgomery

When
July 19, 5:00 PM EST to 6:00 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, 2.12 mi SW of Northwest Park to 2.08 mi E of Georgetown Jct
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
River/Stream Gage
Coordinates
39.000, -77.010

Vehicle stranded in deep moving water at the intersection of Wayne Avenue and Sligo Creek Pkwy.

Flash Flood, Montgomery

When
July 19, 5:02 PM EST to 6:02 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, 0.87 mi SE of Wheaton Hills to 0.47 mi NNE of Wheaton
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
39.060, -77.040

Water rescue for vehicle stranded in high water at Randolph Road and Glenallan Avenue.

Flash Flood, Montgomery

When
July 19, 5:14 PM EST to 6:14 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, Wheaton Hills to 0.39 mi SE of Layhill
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
39.070, -77.050

Three occupied vehicles stranded in high water at Briggs Road and Layhill Road. Water rescue ongoing.

Flash Flood, Montgomery

When
July 19, 5:24 PM EST to 6:24 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, 0.54 mi E of Kemp Mill to 0.4 mi NNW of White Oak
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
911 Call Center
Coordinates
39.030, -77.010

Occupied vehicle stuck in high water at Southwood Avenue and Colesville Road. Water rescue ongoing.

Flash Flood, Montgomery

When
July 19, 5:58 PM EST to 6:58 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, 0.69 mi N of Carderock Spgs to 0.84 mi NNW of Carderock Spgs
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Public
Coordinates
39.010, -77.170

A water rescue occurred along Bradley Boulevard and Kentsdale Drive due to rapidly flowing water estimated around 3 feet deep.

Flash Flood, Montgomery

When
July 19, 6:16 PM EST to 7:16 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, 1.38 mi S of Kemp Mill to 1.93 mi ENE of Georgetown Jct
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
39.010, -77.020

A water rescue occurred along Sligo Creek Parkway with water rapidly flowing around 2 to 3 feet deep.

Flash Flood, Montgomery

When
July 19, 6:18 PM EST to 6:45 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, 0.54 mi E of Georgetown Jct to 0.51 mi E of Georgetown Jct
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Broadcast Media
Coordinates
39.000, -77.040

A vehicle was stranded in water about 2 to 3 feet deep along East-West Highway around Silver Spring.

Flash Flood, Montgomery

When
July 19, 6:20 PM EST to 7:20 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, 1.38 mi S of Kemp Mill to 1.51 mi ENE of Georgetown Jct
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
NWS Employee
Coordinates
39.010, -77.020

Water around 1 foot deep was flowing across Sligo Creek Parkway around US-29.

Flash Flood, Montgomery

When
July 19, 6:29 PM EST to 7:29 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, 0.69 mi N of Carderock Spgs to 0.41 mi NNE of Carderock Spgs
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Emergency Manager
Coordinates
39.010, -77.170

Around 1 to 2 feet of flowing water over Bradley Boulevard where it crosses Cabin John Creek.

Flash Flood, Montgomery

When
July 19, 7:15 PM EST to 7:30 PM EST
Where
Montgomery County, 0.88 mi SW of Georgetown Jct to 0.63 mi WSW of Georgetown Jct
Cause
Heavy Rain
Reported by
Fire Department/Rescue
Coordinates
38.990, -77.060

Approximately 20 people were rescued by Montgomery | County Fire & Rescue and Park Police after being | stranded at Meadowbrook Park after Rock Creek rose | rapidly.

What these are

Flash Flood
Flooding that begins within six hours of the rain that causes it, or of a dam or levee failure or ice jam release, often with deadly speed.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Maryland in 2025Every state in 2025This day in weather historyWarnings in Maryland, July 2025

Sources

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 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1264789, 1264798, 1264796, 1264790, 1264793, 1264795, 1264800, 1264801, 1264802, 1264803, 1264804, 1264808, 1264807, 1264806, 1264809.