Hail, Prince William
- When
- April 1, 3:47 PM EST
- Where
- Prince William County, 2.13 mi NE of West Gate of Lomond
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 38.790, -77.470
Quarter size hail was reported in the City of Manassas.
Hail and Damaging Wind in Virginia, April 1, 2026
A cold front slowly dropping in from the north triggered scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms in an unseasonably warm airmass. A few of the storms produced sporadic damaging wind gusts and large hail, both during the afternoon and with a second wave in the evening.
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
The toll
- Deaths
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Crop damage
- None recorded
- Events
- 3
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.
A cold front slowly dropping in from the north triggered scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms in an unseasonably warm airmass. A few of the storms produced sporadic damaging wind gusts and large hail, both during the afternoon and with a second wave in the evening.
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 Apr 1, 2:24 PM EST, 1 hour 23 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
- A cold front will enter the area tonight and waver near or just north of the area Thursday through Saturday resulting in warm conditions and daily shower and thunderstorm chances.
- A strong cold front passing through the region on Sunday could bring widespread rainfall and a drop in temperatures by early next week.
Area forecast discussion, Apr 1, 2:24 PM EST, 1 hour 23 minutes before
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 324 PM EDT Wed Apr 1 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... Severe thunderstorm coverage for this afternoon remains uncertain due to dry air and capping aloft. && .KEY MESSAGES... - A cold front will enter the area tonight and waver near or just north of the area Thursday through Saturday resulting in warm conditions and daily shower and thunderstorm chances. - A strong cold front passing through the region on Sunday could bring widespread rainfall and a drop in temperatures by early next week. && .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGE 1...A cold front will enter the area tonight and waver near or just north of the area Thursday through Saturday resulting in warm conditions and daily shower and thunderstorm chances. KEY MESSAGE 1 DESCRIPTION... Watching several clusters of thunderstorms over western areas as they move slowly east. NUCAPS data from 1751Z showed a CAPE ridge axis from Lynchburg west and another one south of Fredericksburg VA. Recent visible trends show cumulus field getting squashed across northern areas due to westerly flow. ACARS and NUCAPS soundings also showed dry air aloft between 700-600 mb and weak capping aloft. Sfc dewpoints are only in the mid 50s. All of these factors suggest that any severe threat would be isolated. Backdoor front will enter the area after 00Z tonight triggering more showers across northern areas and bringing in low ceilings. The front will get hunged up across the area Thursday. Clusters of showers and thunderstorms may ride along and north of the front tomorrow. Moisture is deeper tomorrow, but mid-level flow is weaker which may hinder storm organization and severe weather threat. The front will weaken and lift north of the front Fri limiting thunderstorm coverage, mainly to the Appalachian region. KEY MESSAGE 2...A strong cold front passing through the region on Sunday could bring widespread rainfall and a drop in temperatures by early next week. KEY MESSAGE 2 DESCRIPTION... Not too much has changed in the model outlook concerning Sunday's frontal system. The GFS and ECMWF are still well aligned on a significant upper trough moving through the Northern Plains and Great Lakes region this week culminating in a strong cold front moving across the East Coast on Sunday. The most likely impacts to the Mid Atlantic from this are widespread rainfall throughout the region (several tenths of an inch) as well as a sharp drop in temperatures, with potentially a 15-20 degree drop overall in temperatures. The thunderstorm risk is still extremely marginal at this time. NCAR's Medium Range AI Convective Hazards outlook still shows a chance of thunderstorms associated with this front, although it's 15%-30% probability has shifted slightly south since yesterday. Thunderstorms are still something to look out for over the next couple of days, but the primary impacts still remain widespread rainfall and cooler temperatures as the front tracks eastward. && .AVIATION /18Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY/... Isolated to scattered thunderstorms this afternoon and early evening. Have PROB30 groups to cover this potential. Cigs will drop overnight as front enters the area and linger through Thu night. Conditions improve Friday. There is a potential for prolonged, widespread rainfall across terminals on Sunday as a result of a cold front that may bring lowered ceilings and VSBYs throughout the area. Winds shift northwesterly in the wake of a cold front between Sunday and Monday. Surface winds are likely to be elevated on Sunday, with gusts between 20-25 knots possible at terminals. Winds should gradually diminish overnight going into Monday. && .MARINE... SCA conditions are likely Thu night through Sunday as srly flow strengthens and warm front lifts north. SCA conditions are likely on Sunday as a strong cold front moves through the region. Widespread rain showers and an isolated thunderstorm are possible, with winds shifting northwesterly by Monday in the wake of the front. SCA conditions may still be necessary on Monday, but should gradually decrease as the day progresses. && .LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... DC...None. MD...None. VA...None. WV...None. MARINE...None. && DISCUSSION...LFR/SRT AVIATION...LFR/SRT MARINE...LFR/SRT
Hazardous weather outlook, Apr 1, 10:07 AM EST, 5 hours 40 minutes before
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 1107 AM EDT Wed Apr 1 2026 ANZ530>543-DCZ001-MDZ008-011-013-014-016>018-504-506-508- VAZ053>057-527-021000- 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-Cecil-Southern Baltimore- Prince Georges-Anne Arundel-Charles-St. Marys-Calvert- Central and Southeast Montgomery-Central and Southeast Howard- Southeast Harford-Fairfax-Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria- Stafford-Spotsylvania-King George- Central and Southeast Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park- 1107 AM EDT Wed Apr 1 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay, Tidal Potomac River, and I-95 corridor through central Maryland, northern Virginia, and District of Columbia. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight Some thunderstorms this afternoon and early this evening may be severe and produce damaging winds and hail. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. MDZ003>006-503-505-507-VAZ025>031-036>040-050-051-501-502-505>508- 526-WVZ050>053-055-021000- Washington-Frederick MD-Carroll-Northern Baltimore- Northwest Montgomery-Northwest Howard-Northwest Harford-Augusta- Rockingham-Shenandoah-Frederick VA-Page-Warren-Clarke-Nelson- Albemarle-Greene-Madison-Rappahannock-Orange-Culpeper- Northern Fauquier-Southern Fauquier-Western Loudoun- Eastern Loudoun-Northern Virginia Blue Ridge- Central Virginia Blue Ridge-Northwest Prince William-Hampshire- Morgan-Berkeley-Jefferson-Hardy- 1107 AM EDT Wed Apr 1 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of eastern West Virginia, northern and central Virginia, and central and western Maryland. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight Some thunderstorms this afternoon and early this evening may be severe and produce damaging winds and hail, especially east of the Blue Ridge and Catoctin Mountains. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time. MDZ501-502-509-510-VAZ503-504-WVZ501>506-021000- Extreme Western Allegany-Central and Eastern Allegany- Western Garrett-Eastern Garrett-Western Highland-Eastern Highland- Western Grant-Eastern Grant-Western Mineral-Eastern Mineral- Western Pendleton-Eastern Pendleton- 1107 AM EDT Wed Apr 1 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Allegheny Front counties in western Maryland, eastern West Virginia, and Highland County Virginia. .DAY ONE...This Afternoon and Tonight A couple strong to severe thunderstorms may produce damaging winds and hail late this afternoon through early this evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation is not expected at this time.
The radar
The Sterling radar (KLWX), 21 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 20:47 UTC.
Event by event
2 hail, 1 thunderstorm wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Hail, Fairfax
- When
- April 1, 4:08 PM EST
- Where
- Fairfax County, 0.54 mi W of Clifton
- Measured
- 1 in hail
- Reported by
- Trained Spotter
- Coordinates
- 38.780, -77.390
Quarter size hail was reported in Clifton.
Thunderstorm Wind, Albemarle
- When
- April 1, 5:45 PM EST
- Where
- Albemarle County, Covesville
- Measured
- 56 kt (64 mph) estimated gust
- Property damage
- $5,000
- Reported by
- Public
- Coordinates
- 37.880, -78.720
Several large trees blew down near Covesville.
What these are
- Hail
- Hail three-quarters of an inch or larger, or smaller hail that caused damage, filed with the largest stone measured.
- Thunderstorm Wind
- Winds from a thunderstorm of 50 knots (58 mph) or more, or lower winds that caused damage or casualties. Measured gusts are marked MG, estimated EG.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
The same day elsewhere
- Rip Currents in Florida, April 1 to 5, 2026
- Heat in Arizona, April 1 to 4, 2026
- Ice Storm and Winter Storm in Wisconsin, April 1 to 2, 2026
- Drought in Texas, April 1 to 30, 2026
- Wildfire in Florida, April 1 to 30, 2026
- Flood in New York, April 1 to 3, 2026
- Flash Flooding and Hail in West Virginia, April 1, 2026
- Flash Flood and Hail in Ohio, April 1, 2026
- Flooding in New York, April 1, 2026
- Drought in West Virginia, April 1 to 30, 2026
- Drought in Tennessee, April 1 to 30, 2026
- Drought in North Carolina, April 1 to 30, 2026
More
Every storm in Virginia in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, April 2026
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 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1315717, 1315716, 1315718.