A cold front dropped into the area after a prolonged period of humid conditions. A few bands/clusters of thunderstorms developed resulting in several damaging wind gusts and sporadic large hail.
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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 dropped into the area after a prolonged period of humid conditions. A few bands/clusters of thunderstorms developed resulting in several damaging wind gusts and sporadic large hail.
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 27, 9:06 AM EST, 2 hours 24 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 1006 AM EDT Wed May 27 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... Moderate to heavy rain continues across the northern half of the forecast area. Sensitive areas or areas that received notable rain over the past few days are most prone to hydro issues. && .KEY MESSAGES... - 1) Severe thunderstorms and a few instances of flooding are possible this afternoon and evening. && .DISCUSSION... KEY MESSAGE 1...Severe thunderstorms and a few instances of flooding are possible this afternoon and evening. No major changes to the forecast today. Ongoing rain this morning resulting in some ponding of water in construction zones or poor drainage areas. Will continue to evaluate SVR wx threat this afternoon, may be a tier of counties south than previously thought. Previous modified discussion follows.. The Bermuda High remains in place today across the southwest Atlantic, with a stream of tropical moisture advecting northward to the Mid-Atlantic on the ridge's western periphery. The 12Z IAD sounding had upwards of 1.82" PWAT, and that moisture is expected to remain in place today. Aloft, a strong upper trough digs south over the eastern Great Lakes, dragging with it an associated surface cold front. A stalled frontal boundary remains in place across southern VA this morning, and is expected to lift slightly north this afternoon. Several waves of energy aloft traverse across the stalled boundary through this evening. This is going to produce at least a couple rounds of showers and thunderstorms across the area. The first will be from early morning convection over OH/WV that reaches the Allegheny Front around sunrise this morning. These showers/storms are going to be slow moving and could produce a quick 1-3" across parts of western MD and the upper Potomac Highlands. Given the saturated ground conditions from days of rain, this produce instances of flooding. As such, a Flood Watch remains in effect for these areas through this afternoon. The timing for the next round of thunderstorms remains a bit uncertain. 00Z CAM guidance indicate storms developing earlier, from late morning to mid afternoon, though the RRFS still has the main thunderstorm window from mid afternoon to early evening. SPC has maintained the Slight Risk (level 2 out of 5) for south of the Potomac River, including DC and southern MD, with a Marginal Risk (level 1 of 5) to the north. Storm motion is going to be faster as deep-layer winds increase, but locally heavy rainfall could produce some flood threat, especially in urban areas. Damaging wind gusts are going to be the primary threat from any severe thunderstorms that develop today. While not expecting widespread severe storms, a few could produce wet microbursts in a nearly saturated environment. Low-level lapse rates are forecast around 7-7.5 C/km, and effective deep shear around 40 knots. This favors some organized multi-cell clusters or line segments that cross the area from northwest to southeast. By late evening the majority of these thunderstorms will push south of the area, with residual some showers/storms lingering into the early part of the night. Not expecting severe weather with any late convection in the area. The front moves south of the area by early Thursday morning, with clearing skies and mostly dry conditions behind it. A reinforcing front moves through Thursday afternoon, which could kick off a few showers and storms in Central VA where some moisture lingers. Rain chances are low at around 20-30pct. After that, dry and seasonal conditions expected Friday. A few extra clouds may be noted Saturday, especially north of I-66/US-50 and south of I-64 as a series of upper level low pressure systems pass nearby. The bigger story for the extended period will be the return of sunshine and seasonable/slightly below normal temperatures. Expect highs in the 70s (60s mountains) through Tuesday with overnight lows in the 40s and 50s. Upper level ridging will persists through the middle of next week with a gradual warming trend expected. && .AVIATION /13Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... Low clouds and fog develop this morning, producing IFR to LIFR conditions at area terminals. These restrictions will persist for much of the day as multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms move across the area. The most likely time for stronger thunderstorms will be during the afternoon to evening, though timing remains uncertain. A cold front sweeps through tonight, bringing dry and VFR conditions Thursday and Friday. VFR conditions are expected Friday through early next week. Light northwest winds less than 10-15 kts. && .MARINE... Showers and thunderstorms are forecast to move across the waters this afternoon to evening. Some of these storms will be capable of producing strong wind gusts, in addition to lightning strikes. Special Marine Warnings will likely be needed for parts of the waters. A cold front sweeps through on Thursday, and northerly channeling behind the front could produce SCA conditions through Thursday evening. Sub-SCA conditions likely Friday. Additional SCAs will be needed Saturday afternoon and evening due to northerly channeling. Sunday and Monday bring no marine hazards at this time. && .LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... DC...None. MD...Flood Watch until 4 PM EDT this afternoon for MDZ501-509-510. VA...None. WV...Flood Watch until 4 PM EDT this afternoon for WVZ501-503-505. MARINE...None. && DISCUSSION...CPB/KRR/EST AVIATION...CPB/KRR/EST MARINE...CPB/KRR/EST
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 319 AM EDT Wed May 27 2026 ANZ530>543-DCZ001-MDZ008-011-013-014-016>018-504-506-508- VAZ053>057-527-281000- 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- 319 AM EDT Wed May 27 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...Today and Tonight A few severe thunderstorms capable of producing damaging wind gusts are possible this afternoon to early evening. A couple instances of flooding are also possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters should self active and report any instances of severe thunderstorm damage or flooding to the National Weather Service. MDZ003>006-503-505-507-VAZ025>031-036>040-050-051-501-502-505>508- 526-WVZ050>053-055-281000- Washington-Frederick-Carroll-Northern Baltimore- Northwest Montgomery-Northwest Howard-Northwest Harford-Augusta- Rockingham-Shenandoah-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- 319 AM EDT Wed May 27 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for portions of eastern West Virginia, northern and central Virginia, and central and western Maryland. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A few severe thunderstorms capable of producing damaging wind gusts are possible this afternoon and evening. A couple instances of flooding are also possible. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters should self active and report any instances of severe thunderstorm damage or flooding to the National Weather Service. MDZ501-502-509-510-VAZ503-504-WVZ501>506-281000- 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- 319 AM EDT Wed May 27 2026 This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for the Allegheny Front counties in western Maryland, eastern West Virginia, and Highland County Virginia. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A Flood Watch is effect for parts of the area through 2 PM. Multiple rounds of thunderstorms could produce heavy rainfall that leads to isolated instances of flooding. A few severe thunderstorms capable of producing damaging wind gusts are possible this afternoon and evening. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Thursday through Tuesday No hazardous weather is expected at this time. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotters should self active and report any instances of severe thunderstorm damage or flooding to the National Weather Service.
The Sterling radar (KLWX), 68 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 16:29 UTC.
7 thunderstorm wind, 1 hail. Local standard time, as filed.
There was a call for trees down near the intersection of Elys Frd Road and Yellow Bottom Road.
There was a report of tree damage near the intersection of Woodlot Court and Millrace Road.
There was a call for trees blown down onto wires near the intersection of VA-649 Mill Pond Road and Todds Tavern Drive.
A tree blew down in the 1900 block of Old Mill Road.
A tree blew down on US-29 Business/Fontaine Avenue Extension.
Quarter size hail was reported in Gainesville.
Multiple trees blew down along Airlie Road.
There were several reports of trees down throughout Fauquier County.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2026Every state in 2026This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, May 2026
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: 1327219, 1327220, 1327221, 1327222, 1327225, 1327218, 1327223, 1327224.