Power Outage in Waldorf, MD

A wind gust of 60 mph was reported near Tompkinsville. The Charles County 911 Center reported approximately 80 reports of downed trees or power lines.

National Weather Service personnel completed a ground survey |along with radar analysis and concluded a tornado that peaked at |low-end EF1 intensity with winds of 90 MPH produced damage along a|8.4 mile path, beginning near the intersection of U.S. Route 301|(Crain Highway) and Rosewick Road in north La Plata MD. The |tornado then moved northeast lifting near the intersection of St. |Peters Church Road and Gruss Farm Place in east Waldorf.||Along the tornadoes path, numerous trees were observed to have |been snapped, uprooted, and toppled in multiple directions. The |fallen trees downed many power lines and blocked multiple roads. |Some trees and large branches also fell onto homes and garages. |Minor roof damage was also observed with the removal of shingles |and eaves. Some loss of insulation was observed near where the |tornado peaked in intensity.||Initial concentrated path of tree damage was observed near the |Rosewick Crossing Shopping Center. A narrow path of tree damage |then continued northeast near White Plains Village, where minor |roof damage in the form of loss of shingles and eaves was|observed to several homes. The tornado then continued northeast |crossing Billingsley Road near St. Charles Parkway, where more |tree and minor roof damage was observed. ||The tornado continued further northeast, peaking in intensity|near the Smallwood Village Shopping Center and Huntington|Townhouses, where the low-end EF1 damage and maximum path width|of 125 yards was observed. Numerous trees were observed down |across these areas with multiple instances of shingle, siding, and|eave damage. It was in this area where some loss of roof insulation|was observed. A light post was blown over and some windows were |also blown out. Just to the northeast a car port was lifted and |collapsed on a few automobiles. ||The tornado then continued to create areas of minor roof and tree|damage as it moved northeast, passing just to the north of the |St. Peters Catholic Church, beyond there damage became more |spotty, with the tornado likely lifting just to the northeast of |the church near St. Peters Church Road.

Around a dozen large trees were reported to have lost their top half. Two trees were reported down on power lines, resulting in power lines snapping.

There were scattered trees down and power outages.

Snowfall totaled up to 24.0 inches about two miles east-northeast of Bryantown.|Power outages were reported throughout the county due to the weight of the snow on trees and power lines.

Charles County Emergency Management reported trees and power lines down in Hill Top.

A local newspaper reported trees down on power lines on Copley Avenue in St. Charles.

Charles County Law Enforcement reported trees down into power lines near Waldorf.

Charles County Emergency Management reported trees down on power lines in Dentsville.

A tree fell on a transmission line at the generating plant in Morgantown, causing power outages in the area.

Thousands were left without power when high winds downed trees and power lines.

Heavy rainfall between 7 to 10 inches occurred in St. Mary's, Charles, and Calvert counties. The heaviest rain totals of near 10 inches were reported in southeast St. Mary's County. The heavy rains contributed to the extensive downed trees and powerlines across Lower Southern Maryland.

Numerous trees and powerlines down.

Trees and power lines were downed between White Plains and Waldorf.

Trees and power lines were downed.

Trees and power lines were downed.

A cold front approached the Mid Atlantic during the afternoon of June 22. Afternoon heating contributed to strong instability that helped to focus scattered strong to severe thunderstorms ahead of a cold front. Damaging winds brought some trees and power lines down in north central Maryland. Large hail was also reported. Hail to the size of quarters fell in Spring Gap.

A 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 that lead to the downing of trees and power lines occurred across central and southern Maryland. A wind gust of 63 MPH was record at Andrews Air Force Base.

A cold front approached the Mid Atlantic during the evening of June 3. Warm, moist and unstable air developed ahead of the front, allowing scattered strong to severe thunderstorms to develop. Several reports of downed trees and power lines were received.

A warm and moist air mass settled over the Mid Atlantic as a strong cold front approached the region from the Ohio Valley on July 19th. This allowed scattered thunderstorms to develop across north central Virginia during the early afternoon hours and spread east into Maryland through the evening. Storms became better organized as they moved east across lower southern Maryland, eventually forming a bow echo. Surface winds with the bow echo were measured between 60 and 80 mph. These strong thunderstorm winds downed numerous trees and power lines across lower southern Maryland.

On September 18, 2003, Hurricane Isabel made landfall on the North Carolina Coast. Its huge wind field was already piling water up into the southern Chesapeake Bay. By the time Isabel moved into central Virginia, it had weakened and was downgraded to a tropical storm. Isabel's eye tracked well west of the bay, but the storm's 40 to 50 mph sustained winds pushed a bulge of water northward up the bay and its tributaries producing a record storm surge. The Maryland western shore counties of the Chesapeake Bay and along the tidal tributaries of the Potomac, Patuxent, Patapsco and other smaller rivers experience a storm surge reached 5 to 9 feet above normal tides. In many locations, Isabel's surge was higher than the previous record storm known as the Chesapeake-Potomac Hurricane of 1933. For coastal properties below 10 feet MSL exposed to wave action, much damage was wrought. Over 2000 people were evacuated from their homes. Maryland saw 472 homes and buildings destroyed, 3260 with major damage and over 3600 more affected. Extensive damage occurred to Maryland's shoreline which rarely sees storms of this intensity. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation estimates that 43,000 tons of silt and millions of pounds of nitrogen and phosphorus and millions of gallons of raw sewage washed into the bay during Isabel.Water surrounded many of the buildings on the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis. The flooding caused $116 million in damage. FEMA was estimating up to $500 million in total damages to Anne Arundel County from the storm. In Dundalk (Baltimore County), a 27-year-old man was found drown floating in the flood waters. In Baltimore County alone, $3 million in damage is estimated to have occurred from erosion of the shoreline. Residential areas of Millers Island, Edgemere, North Point, Bowley Quarters and Turners Station were hard hit with more than 400 people being rescued from their homes and over 300 buildings destroyed. Marinas were also destroyed or severely damaged. Water flooded Baltimore's Inner Harbor and Fells Point area causing millions of dollars damage to waterfront property. The Baltimore Museum of Industry alone received $1.5 million in damage. The two hardest areas hit in Harford County were up the Bush River and the waterfront at Havre de Grace. About 55 people were evacuated from Abingdon, Edgewood and Perryman along the Bush River and about a dozen people were evacuated in Havre de Grace. The 12.5 million dollars in damage to Harford County does not include damages sustained to Aberdeen Proving Grounds. Those figures were unavailable at this time. In Calvert County, 4 to 5 foot waves crashed into the towns of North Beach and Solomons. In North Beach, a house was moved off its foundation. The pier at Solomons Island was lost with the storm surge causing extensive damage to the shoreline. In St Mary's County residents saw 6 foot waves crashing onto shore and some homes were literally flattened. Estimated damage to wharves and piers is 2500 destroyed and 1000 with moderate damage costing $10.25 million. Damage to Point Lookout State Park is $3 million. Damage to "shore revetments" was $53.4 million. Damage to residential property is estimated at $16.95 million and businesses $1.5 million. Most of the damage was from storm surge, but some was from wind. On St. George Island, 20 homes were destroyed and water covered much of the island at high tide for a week. The bridge to the island washed out as early as 3:45 pm on Thursday. Charles County had $2 million in damage to roads. Cobb Island was hit hard with two homes destroyed and others damaged. Other areas hit included Chigger City, Port Tobacco, Woodland Point, Swan Point, and Morgantown. Fifty-two dwellings were flooded with damages estimated at $1.1 million with another $600,000 to commercial property. Prince Georges County had high water on the Patuxent, Potomac and Anacostia River fronts. Much of the shoreline has a good rise protecting it from flooding, but three roads were closed from flooding and some property may also have been impacted.Hurricane Isabel's wind field extended for hundreds of miles from the storm's center. Winds were highest along the Chesapeake Bay and Tidal Potomac where the warm waters and smooth surface helped mix down the strong winds from above and blow onto the coastline. Inland, the air at the surface was relatively cool. Temperatures had been in the 60s during the day and the strongest winds came at night. The high winds came with bands of showers that would mix down to the surface causing streaks of damage that sometimes appeared as though a tornado had moved through instead of a strong narrow ribbon of wind. Wind damage to structures was limited with the greatest damage reported in St. Mary's County where on one property winds blew the roof off a structure. and knocked down 70 trees. Unofficial wind gust readings of up to 110 mph have been reported, but not confirmed. Patuxent Naval Air Base recorded wind gusts to 69 mph at midnight and Quantico Marine Base recorded a wind gust of 78 mph near the same time. Andrews Air Force Base also recorded a wind gust of 69 mph around 1 am EDT. Wind damage to trees in the area was extensive and widespread to the region. Soil moisture was high from previous rains making it easier for trees to uproot. Also, the trees were still in full canopy which acted like a sail to catch the wind. Trees feel on electrical and utility wires taking out power and phone. Trees fell on roads, cars, and homes. In Anne Arundel County, 196,000 out of a possible 211,000 customers lost power. In Baltimore, 220,000 out of a possible 273 customers lost power. Baltimore County was estimating 3189 tons of debris to be hauled from the storm. 118 trees fell on school grounds. In Baltimore City, 70,000 customers were without power. Calvert County had 22,400 customers without power. Charles County had 32,000 customers lose power. Harford County saw 51,600 of its 88,000 customers lose power. Prince Georges County had nearly 200,000 customers lose power and 5000 tons of debris to haul. There were at least 15 buildings with major damage and 53 more buildings that were affected. St Mary's County had 27,092 customers lose power. While most people had their power back in a week, some locations took up to two weeks. Many injuries and 3 fatalities occurred from carbon monoxide poisoning from people improperly running generators in their houses. Other injuries were related to chain saws and the clean-up of debris. Calvert County Hospital said they were seeing an extra 130 patients per day.

Thunderstorms with high winds moved through south central Maryland during the evening of the 5th. In Charles County, trees were downed onto power lines in Potomac Heights. In La Plata, trees and power poles were downed. In Prince George's County, a tree was downed onto a house in Fort Washington. In Calvert County, numerous trees and power lines were downed between Chesapeake Beach and North Beach.

A thunderstorm with high winds moved through South Central Maryland during the afternoon of the 27th. In Prince George's County, a tree and wires were downed in Oxon Hill. A tree was blown across a telephone cable in Bowie. In Charles County, trees and power lines were downed between White Plains and Waldorf. In Calvert County, trees were downed in Owings. Pea sized hail was reported in Owings and Dunkirk.

Severe thunderstorms moved southeast through Charles and St. Mary's counties during the evening of the 7th. Two tornadoes were produced by these storms across northern St. Mary's County. The tornadic storms first passed through Charles County. A funnel cloud was spotted along Route 301 near Bel Alton. A rotating wall cloud was spotted on Trinity Church Road in the eastern portion of the county between routes 6 and 234. "Ice cube" sized hail fell near Port Tobacco. A waterspout was reported on the Potomac River near Swan Point. Next, the storms moved into St. Mary's County where they produced damaging winds, tornadoes, heavy rain, and hail. The first tornado touched down near the intersection of Route 236 (Thompsons Corner Road) and Woodburn Hill Road in the community of Thompson Corner (just west of Mechanicsville). The tornado traveled straight east along Lockes Crossing Road for one half mile before dissipating. Along its path trees were downed, a roof was damaged, a machine shed lost its roof, and a 30x70 foot barn was destroyed. The tornado had a path width of 75 yards and was classified at F0 strength. The second tornado touched down near the intersection of Route 235 (Three Notch Road) and North Sandgates Road (Route 472) near Oakville. It moved northeast along North Sandgates Road for two miles before it pushed offshore. It became a waterspout that tracked toward Broomes Island. Along the tornado's inland path several trees and power lines were downed. One tree fell onto a trailer home, significantly damaging the structure. Two other homes sustained minor damage. The twister was 100 yards wide and was rated at F0 strength. Trees and power lines were downed by high winds in the communities of Hollywood, Leonardown, Charlotte Hall, Oakville, New Market, Laurel Grove, and at Summerseat Sanctuary. Trees had to be cleared from the following roads: Friendship School Road, Bishop Road, McIntosh Road, Clover Hill Road, Queentree Road, Jones Wharf Road, Cat Creek Road, Laurel Grove Road, Morganza Turner Road, and South Sandgates Road. Two cars were crushed by fallen trees in Hollywood. Nickle sized hail was reported in Mechanicsville. A spotter in Hollywood reported 3.15 inches of rainfall in one hour and 45 MPH winds. Flooding was reported on routes 235 and 246 in Lexington Park. Other roads that were inundated by water include Baptist Church Road, Mechanicsville Road, Dr. Johnson Road, and Foley Mattingly Road. Two unconfirmed reports of funnel clouds were received from residents of Hermanville and Scotland. The Scotland observer said the funnel was spotted over the Potomac River. Lightning with the storms started a house fire in Hollywood and a shed fire in Mechanicsville. In addition, heavy rainfall from these storms caused basement flooding in parts of Calvert County. A total of 2.90 inches of rain was recorded at Solomon's Island.

Scattered thunderstorms moved through Southern Maryland during the evening of the 16th. In Charles County 3 miles west of White Plains, one person was injured on a golf course when a tree limb fell on them. In Calvert County 2 miles west of Kings Beach, power line wires were downed.

A thunderstorm with heavy winds moved through Southern Maryland during the afternoon of the 13th. Two miles west of La Plata in Charles County, trees and power lines were downed.

A massive tornadic storm tore through Central Charles and Calvert Counties between 7 and 8 PM EDT on the 28th. The tornadoes it produced left a 64 mile path of destruction ranging from F1 to F4 damage. Five people were killed, 122 were injured, and over $115 million in damage was reported. The tornadoes were spawned from a supercell thunderstorm that crossed the Potomac River from Prince William County. Up to 10 miles north of the path of the tornado, large hail up to 4.5 inches in diameter fell. Debris from the tornado was found as far away as southern Delaware. Wind damage was also reported near the path of the storm.Across Charles County, 638 homes were damaged, 100 homes were destroyed, 143 businesses (mainly in downtown La Plata) were damaged, and 49 businesses were destroyed. Countless trees and agricultural buildings were downed along the rural path of the storm. Three people were killed and at least 120 people were injured countywide, 12 critically. A 51-year-old man was killed and his wife was critically injured when their house under construction on Hawkins Gate Road, about 5 miles east of La Plata, collapsed. A 54-year-old man died in his car from an apparent heart attack at the intersection of Route 301 and Route 6 in downtown La Plata. The third victim, a 72-year-old woman, died of a heart attack in Waldorf after being frightened by the tornado. The tornado first touched down on the eastern edge of General Smallwood State Park just north of Rison. It pushed east-southeast and passed just south of Pisgah where it grew to F2 strength. The tornado moved through Mount Pisgah and damaged homes on Ripley Road between Ripley and Garden Estates. The twister continued to move east through rural lands south of Hawthorne Road (Route 255) passing just north of the community of Graystone. Next, it moved through the communities of Habre de Venture, Longmeade, Clamber Hill, Hawthorne Manor, and Hillendale about 3 miles west of downtown La Plata. The tornado, now F3 strength, hit the western portion of La Plata next, moving directly through the neighborhoods of Valley View, Morgan's Ridge, Quailwood, and Haldane. The tornado, now F4 strength, continued east into the downtown area where it crossed through the intersection of Route 301 and 6. Damage was found on either side of Route 6 with the most severe devastation occurring on the south side of the highway. The downtown business district was nearly wiped out after 65% of the buildings were either heavily damaged or destroyed. The 125-foot city water tower was also downed. The tornado continued its trek southeast of the downtown hospital into the northern portion of Clarks Run, across Route 6, and into the community of Ellenwood. The F4 tornado moved east of La Plata into the southern portion of Brynwood Farm Estates, then east across the Zekiah Swamp. Several homes at the end of Hawkins Gate Road were completely destroyed, and this was the location of one fatality and numerous injuries. Next, the tornado crossed Olivers Shop Road just north of the intersection of Route 231. It continued east through rural lands until it intersected Route 5 at Homeland Drive just south of Hughesville. East of Homeland Drive, it severely damaged the Girl Scout facility off Scout Camp Road. The tornado tracked east-southeast toward Benedict, remaining just south of Route 231 and weakening to F2 strength. It struck Colonial Lane and a home south of Benedict before crossing the river into Calvert County just south of the bridge. In Calvert County, the tornado first struck the community of Patuxent View just south of Route 231 at F2 strength. Over half of the homes in this development were damaged. One home with no foundation or anchoring just east of Patuxent View off Hallowing Point Road was picked up and thrown 80 feet into a culvert. A 68-year-old man and his 65-year-old wife who were taking shelter in the house were killed. The twister continued eastward along Sixes Road to the intersection of Adelina Road. Several homes and barns were damaged. From there it pushed east through the communities of Boyds Farm, Mutual Estates, and Chippingwood, where it damaged more property. It crossed Route 2/4 and 765 just north of St. Leonard, downing trees and it went. Finally, it crossed the Western Shores Estates development at F1 strength before it moved offshore. Another tornado formed on the Long Beach shoreline just north of Calvert Cliffs Power Plant. It downed trees before moving offshore. This tornado grew in strength as it crossed the bay and struck Dorchester County on the eastern shore just south of Taylor's Island. Across the county, 125 homes were damaged and 10 were destroyed, mainly in the Brownsville and Hallowing Point areas. County officials collected over 300 tons of downed trees and storm debris.

Thunderstorms that produced winds in excess of 55 MPH, a tornado, hail, and heavy downpours moved across Southern Maryland during the afternoon of the 25th. In Charles County, a tornado touched down on Panda Court in the Hampshire Lake subdivision about 2.5 miles west of downtown Waldorf. The tornado tracked northeast across the subdivisions of McDaniel Country Estates, Ashford Oaks, Streamview, and across Route 228 (Berry Road) before crossing into Prince George's County near Acton Lane. The tornado was 100 yards wide and was ranked an F1. Over 100 homes received minor damage to siding and roofs, with the most concentrated area of damage in the Streamview neighborhood. The worst damage included trees putting significant holes into homes, damaged cars, broken windows, a damaged deck, and a downed chimney. In addition, a shed, tractor, and air conditioning unit were blown over. The survey team estimated over 100 trees and several power lines were downed in the path of the storm. As the tornado crossed Route 228 it picked up a truck, spun it around and flipped it over onto the side of the road. Just north of Route 228, the tornado destroyed three barns at a sod farm. When the twister reached Acton Lane, it downed several trees and power lines. About an hour before the tornado touched down near Waldorf, another thunderstorm produced a funnel cloud that apparently never reached the ground just northeast of Indian Head. Pea sized hail was reported in Bryans Road. In Prince George's County, the Green Acre Farms area about 4 miles southwest of Brandywine was hit by the same tornado that damaged several homes just west of Waldorf. The tornado crossed Mattawoman Creek at the county line near Acton Lane, then pushed northeast across the Green Acre Farms subdivision and Gardner Road. Several trees were downed in the path of the twister. Two homes in Green Acre Farms were damaged. One of the homes on Gardner Road suffered water damage after a tree pushed in a basement door which allowed water runoff to flood the basement. Another homeowner on Mattawoman Lane had a vehicle significantly damaged by a downed tree. A nearby shed was picked up off its foundation and thrown 40 feet. The path of the tornado was clearly visible as a tree top "V" pattern in the woodlands behind the home. A nearby barn was also damaged. Six occupants in 5 cars on nearby roadways had to be rescued after downed trees and power lines made the roads impassable. The tornado dissipated in the woods just northeast of Gardner Road before reaching Robin Dale Country Club. The storm that produced the tornado continued to move northeast across the county. A funnel cloud was spotted in Brandywine, Camp Springs, and Bowie as the storm passed through. A wind gust of 63 MPH was recorded at Andrews Air Force Base. Heavy rain flooded the intersection of Branch Avenue and Brinkley Avenue and roads in Bladensburg. In Anne Arundel County, a total of 2.04 inches of rain fell in Annapolis. In St. Mary's County, 1.92 inches of rain was reported in Oraville.

Thunderstorms that produced brief heavy rainfall and gusty winds moved across south central Maryland during the afternoon of the 4th. In Charles County, trees and power lines were downed and hail of unknown size fell. In Anne Arundel County, a total of 2.70 inches of rain fell in Annapolis. Road flooding was reported in Mayo and Potomac. In Calvert County, 2.37 inches of rain fell on Solomon's Island. In St. Mary's County, 1.67 inches of rain fell in California.

A cold front moved across the region during the evening hours of the 27th. This front triggered thunderstorms, some of which produced winds in excess of 55 MPH and heavy rainfall. In Charles County, 1.73 inches of rain fell in Bryan's Road, 1.68 inches fell near Hughesville, and 1.50 inches fell in Waldorf. In St. Mary's County, trees and power lines were downed by high wind. A wind gust of 55 MPH was recorded in Tall Timbers. Minor street flooding also occurred after heavy downpours.