Thunderstorm Wind in District of Columbia
Every thunderstorm wind event the National Weather Service has filed in District of Columbia, year by year, with the most significant episodes. 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.
The most significant on the map
The most significant thunderstorm wind episodes in District of Columbia.
- Tornadoes
- Tropical storms and surge
- Floods
- Wind
- Hail
- Winter weather
- Heat and drought
- Cold
- Fire, smoke and dust
- Marine and coastal
- Other
The record
- Events
- 344
- Deaths
- 3
- Injuries
- 43
- Damage
- $31 million
Every year
The most significant
Ranked by deaths, injuries, damage and size together.
- Damaging Wind and Lightning Strike in District of Columbia, August 4, 2022A surface trough ignited numerous showers and thunderstorms that resulted in scattered instances of damaging wind gusts and sporadic large hail.
- Damaging Wind in District of Columbia, May 12, 1993A strong cold front approaching the mid-Atlantic region including the District of Columbia, produced violent thunderstorm winds and damaging lightning. The north part of the district was hardest hit.
- Damaging Winds in District of Columbia, April 19, 2002A thunderstorm with hail and high winds moved through the District of Columbia during the afternoon of the 19th. Winds gusted as high as 70 MPH and at least 82 trees were downed across the city. Most of the damage was reported in the northern sections of town.
- Damaging Wind in District of Columbia, August 3, 2002A thunderstorm with high winds moved through the District around 4:30 PM EDT. Several trees were downed in the southeast portion of the city. One large tree was downed onto a van carrying three people at the intersection of 17th and E streets SE.
- Damaging Winds in District of Columbia, July 29, 2023A strong cold front intersected a very hot, humid, and unstable airmass across the Mid-Atlantic shortly after peak heating.
- Tornadoes and Damaging Winds in District of Columbia, July 1, 2021Two rounds of severe thunderstorms produced two tornadoes, hail, and widespread wind damage (some significant) across the DC metro and central Maryland, with spottier wind damage extending into the Baltimore area.
- Flash Flood and Damaging Wind in District of Columbia, June 12, 2003A thunderstorm with very heavy downpours and high winds moved through the District between 5:30 and 6:30 PM on the 12th.
- Damaging Winds in District of Columbia, June 19, 2025A severe weather outbreak occurred during the mid to late afternoon hours of Thursday, June 19th, 2025, as a strong cold front supported by a seasonably strong upper-level jet intersected a hot, humid, and unstable airmass.
- Hail and Damaging Wind in District of Columbia, August 7, 2000A thunderstorm which produced winds in excess of 55 MPH and large hail moved across the District between 6:00 PM and 7:00 PM EDT on the 7th. In Southeast, 256 trees were downed onto roads, cars, buildings, and phone and power poles.
- Damaging Wind and Lightning Strike in District of Columbia, June 13, 1998A vigorous upper-level disturbance acted upon increasingly warm and humid air near the surface to produce a squall line of strong to severe thunderstorms west of the metropolitan region during the early afternoon.
- Damaging Winds in District of Columbia, June 16, 2008A cold front moved into the Mid Atlantic during the afternoon of June 16. With a warm moist atmosphere in place, numerous strong to severe thunderstorms developed in the afternoon and evening.
- Damaging Winds in District of Columbia, July 14, 2023A cold front slowed as it approached the Appalachian Mountains, intersecting a hot, humid, and unstable airmass.
- Damaging Winds in District of Columbia, July 22, 2020An upper-level trough interacted with a stalled surface front draped over the Mid-Atlantic resulting in scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms developing in the lee of the Appalachians Mountains as early as midday.
- Damaging Winds in District of Columbia, July 4, 2006A frontal boundary sagged south into the Mid Atlantic on July 2, and combined with very strong daytime heating and instability, contributed to scattered severe thunderstorm activity. Many locations throughout the metro area experienced wind damage from the severe thunderstorms.
- Damaging Wind and Lightning Strike in District of Columbia, August 5, 2022A few thunderstorms produced locally damaging winds ahead of a pressure trough.
- Damaging Winds in District of Columbia, July 6, 2020An upper-level disturbance triggered scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms. The very unstable lower-level air mass resulted in an environment conducive to downburst winds, some of which were significant.
- Damaging Wind in District of Columbia, June 24, 1996An accelerating heavy-precipitation supercell caused damage over both Southeast and upper Northwest Washington. Trees and wires were down in the Anacostia section, as well as a few downtown, in association with the core of the mesocyclone.
- Damaging Winds in District of Columbia, July 26, 2021A pair of fronts spawned two clusters of severe thunderstorms that produced localized considerable wind damage near Staunton, Virginia, Silver Spring, Maryland, and Washington, DC.
- Damaging Wind in District of Columbia, July 18, 1997A squall line, preceding a frontal system, developed just north of the city. Intensifying rapidly, the storm struck the city and produced damaging winds which felled numerous trees and/or large limbs.
- Damaging Winds in District of Columbia, July 25, 2010A strong upper-level disturbance and its associated cold front moved into Washington D.C. on the 25th. Hot and humid conditions ahead of the front led to high amounts of instability. Showers and thunderstorms developed along and ahead of the cold front.
- Damaging Wind in District of Columbia, June 20, 1996
- Damaging Wind in District of Columbia, July 21, 2021Several thunderstorms ahead of a cold front produced widely scattered instances of wind damage.
- Damaging Winds in District of Columbia, July 15, 2024A stalled front amid an unstable airmass spawned clusters of strong to severe thunderstorms, one of which produced considerable wind damage over far northern Virginia.
- Damaging Wind in District of Columbia, May 14, 2002A shower that moved through around 5 PM produced damaging wind gusts. At Children's Hospital, a gust of 56 MPH was recorded. A downed tree damaged the roof of a home on Warren Street in Tenleytown. Trees and power lines were downed onto Minnesota Avenue.
- Damaging Winds in District of Columbia, August 26, 2021Isolated severe thunderstorms produced considerable wind damage over Northwest DC.
More
Thunderstorm Wind everywhereEvery kind of event in District of Columbia
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.