[csaylorVT]

I recently moved into a new place in Federal Hill in Baltimore with a rooftop deck, explicitly to take pictures of storms! Yesterday was a perfect start to the summer. I only have a cell phone camera temporarily...so these will have to do! I've never attached pics before so i hope this works. The pics of the circular/curving cloud was from the line that moved through around 8:15...and the other one if from the main line @ 4.

 storm5.jpg (25.76K)
Number of downloads: 9

4PM storm looking west toward I-395 and Catonsville


 storm2.jpg (31.49K)
Number of downloads: 6

8PM storm...cool parabolic looking cloud...this is looking southwest toward MD 295 and Glen Burnie


 storm3.jpg (27.69K)
Number of downloads: 7
Same 8 PM storm...looking more west/northwest than the previous pic. Shows the end of the long cloud...Bmore was on the north end of this line

 storm4.jpg (23.81K)
Number of downloads: 3
Looking even more northwest

 storm.jpg (28.53K)
Number of downloads: 6
The top of my deck looking south/southwest down Charles St...the whole area was under a SVR warning for this one...

[Yoda]

I guess we will use this thread for today's more isolated severe weather threat...

SPC mesoanalysis at 17z shows SUP potential at 2 in Western VA and Brooks/Craven Sig SVR already at 30 in same location. SBCAPE is 2500 in Western VA with a small pocket of 3000... SBCAPE is near 1500 into DC region. Mid-Level Lapse rates are 7.0 C/km DCA and SWward up to 7.5 C/km near the Appalachain Mts. LI's are -5 and higher as you go SW of DCA.

[Jebman]

WEATHER53, on Jun 5 2008, 12:54 PM, said:

Tree estimator just left and will cost $1,200 to get the limbs out of the yard and cut out three seperate sections of large branches that are still stuck up in the trees. These oak trees are almost 75' high and about 55 years old and eventually I will need to get rid of them. The unfallen branches are about 15' long and 8-12" circumference and about 25' on the ground so do not want them falling out at random later in the year. To get the siding put back up, if possible, will be $200 and if have to get new pieces then $350.
Could have been worse and I would not want to equate this to the price I pay but we have debated before the moral merits of our feelings about all forms of severe weather. Yesterday was exciting for me. I was dismayed when I returned home. I think discussions about the "moral" aspect of this are in fact worthy and do not warrant dismissal. That being said, if I had yesterday to go thru again I Would do it; albeit absent the damge but it is hard to have one without the other however a higher level of damage would definitely alter my perspective. I think just as we will reflect back for decades on the Great June deluges of 2006 we will also reflect back for decades on the great June Storms of 2008 and to that extent, I can deal with it.

Well stated; likely one of the best posts ever on EUSWX.

There is nothing good about a truly severe weather outbreak. Power is still out for some; we already have temps in the low 90s with DPs in the upper 60s. Hey all you severe weather lovers, Just try going with no power and no A/C in summer weather for one DAY, let alone longer than that. Try dealing with a tree landing on your HOUSE because of all of your severe weather. Try PAYING the BILL to get the tree removed and then repairing your house. Not all of us are as wealthy as Bill Gates. Most people are on a BUDGET. Ever heard of that? No? Well, you'll get a crash course on what that is when severe weather damages your dwelling. Just try thinking BEYOND YOURSELF for one minute folks: Just IMAGINE what hell those poor folks are going to go through on Saturday with HIGH TEMPS IN THE MID 90S AND DEWPOINTS IN THE LOW 70S, IF THEIR POWER DOES NOT GET RESTORED BY THEN!!!

You should be praying AGAINST SEVERE WEATHER. There has already been WAY TOO MUCH RAIN in the DC Metro Region for this time of year. I'll wager you that trees will fall a heck of a lot more easily in high winds due to the supersaturated soil conditions in our area. If trees fall in high winds then that means more power outages. Think of the elderly. Think of the ladies who are pregnant in this hot weather. Think of the small children. Can you handle sleeping in hot HUMID weather at night?

That will be all (for now).

Carry on.

[relic_hunter]

 June_5th_2008_tornado.jpg (19.63K)
Number of downloads: 5

Last I visited this thread I was lamenting about a reported tornado passing/crossing directly over my new home and was leaving work to see the damage. Along the way I stopped about 1.25 miles north of Rt 17 in southern Stafford County on on the side of Rt 95 and jumped up onto the top of the ladder rack to snap some pictures with my cell phone...yes, this was rotating and, in person, I could see debris in the funnel. It was reportedly moving 50 MPH and I watched in person as it destroyed trees in its path (trees were all that I could see at the time). Since this is a cell phone pic it has very poor resolution and I couldn't find the zoom feature quick enough...I was only a tenth of a mile from this tornado. Have never chased a storm before and this was an accidental sighting but, needless to say, there is nothing like seeing one in person. I was awestruck. Right after this pic the rain came in sheets with winds approximated at 70 MPH. In an F-250 with a loaded toolbody bed the whole truck rocked back and forth as I was parked on the side of 95. Then came the debris and shortly thereafter quarter-sized hail. It was brief but so intense that the rush was incredible. I still get goosebumps thinking about it as I pen this post. There were pieces of trees littering Rt 95 like I have never seen before. I am still beside myself.

[Del]

Jebman, on Jun 5 2008, 12:42 PM, said:

Well stated; likely one of the best posts ever on EUSWX.

There is nothing good about a truly severe weather outbreak. Power is still out for some; we already have temps in the low 90s with DPs in the upper 60s. Hey all you severe weather lovers, Just try going with no power and no A/C in summer weather for one DAY, let alone longer than that. Try dealing with a tree landing on your HOUSE because of all of your severe weather. Try PAYING the BILL to get the tree removed and then repairing your house. Not all of us are as wealthy as Bill Gates. Most people are on a BUDGET. Ever heard of that? No? Well, you'll get a crash course on what that is when severe weather damages your dwelling. Just try thinking BEYOND YOURSELF for one minute folks: Just IMAGINE what hell those poor folks are going to go through on Saturday with HIGH TEMPS IN THE MID 90S AND DEWPOINTS IN THE LOW 70S, IF THEIR POWER DOES NOT GET RESTORED BY THEN!!!

You should be praying AGAINST SEVERE WEATHER. There has already been WAY TOO MUCH RAIN in the DC Metro Region for this time of year. I'll wager you that trees will fall a heck of a lot more easily in high winds due to the supersaturated soil conditions in our area. If trees fall in high winds then that means more power outages. Think of the elderly. Think of the ladies who are pregnant in this hot weather. Think of the small children. Can you handle sleeping in hot HUMID weather at night?

That will be all (for now).

Carry on.

The storms would have happened reguardless of whether we had rooted for them or prayed against them.
You cant "pray" a thunderstorm away, if it's going to hit you, it will hit you, and there isnt anything you can do but hope it wont produce too much damage.

After the first bow echo went through here, we discovered that the old willow tree in the front yard has a big split going almost all the way through it, below where all the main limbs branch out, so the tree will be a total loss. The only thing that was(and is) keeping it from collapsing is a thin strip of bark and mostly rotted pulp and the fact that it leans up against a fence.

Had the second or third thunderstorm that came through here had winds like the first one, it would have collasped onto the ground, probably taking the fence withit and making the removal of it that much more difficult.

I didnt want those storms to have the wind that the first one did, and I had ferverently hoped that they wouldnt.

It ended up that they did in fact have very little wind, but if they had had strong winds, no ammount of hoping or praying I would or cold have done would have stopped them from hitting this area.

Jeb, I sympathize with you feelings, but just because we get excited when a thunderstorm forms doesnt mean it suddenly turns tornadic and heads for a highly populated area.
Even if we hated thunderstorms the way the warminstas hate snow, the storms would still have formed and taken the exact same paths that they took.

[relic_hunter]

And to add...the reported tornado that passed over my new home in Spotsy only broke an 18" diameter branch off of a 75 year old tulip poplar in my front yard...good news all around, especially since it fell where my fiance' usually parks her car and would have simply crushed it had she been there. Tied an old 1" diameter hemp rope to it to pull it with my truck and the rope snapped. Didn't feel like getting the logging chain out, nor the chainsaw so that is going to wait until tonight or tomorrow night to be removed. Man we got lucky....much more so than others on this board not to mention my neighbors. Unreal series of storms yesterday...I've had enough for a while...rivers and reservoirs are full, basement waterproofers are booked out for weeks, and all the tree-men in the tri-state area have enough work to keep them busy as well...enough already.

[North MD]

relic_hunter, on Jun 5 2008, 02:17 PM, said:

June_5th..._tornado.jpg

Last I visited this thread I was lamenting about a reported tornado passing/crossing directly over my new home and was leaving work to see the damage. Along the way I stopped about 1.25 miles north of Rt 17 in southern Stafford County on on the side of Rt 95 and jumped up onto the top of the ladder rack to snap some pictures with my cell phone...yes, this was rotating and, in person, I could see debris in the funnel. It was reportedly moving 50 MPH and I watched in person as it destroyed trees in its path (trees were all that I could see at the time). Since this is a cell phone pic it has very poor resolution and I couldn't find the zoom feature quick enough...I was only a tenth of a mile from this tornado. Have never chased a storm before and this was an accidental sighting but, needless to say, there is nothing like seeing one in person. I was awestruck. Right after this pic the rain came in sheets with winds approximated at 70 MPH. In an F-250 with a loaded toolbody bed the whole truck rocked back and forth as I was parked on the side of 95. Then came the debris and shortly thereafter quarter-sized hail. It was brief but so intense that the rush was incredible. I still get goosebumps thinking about it as I pen this post. There were pieces of trees littering Rt 95 like I have never seen before. I am still beside myself.

wow, so how did your house make out?

[North MD]

some cool pics in this thread y'all :thumbsup:

[relic_hunter]

North MD, on Jun 5 2008, 02:43 PM, said:

wow, so how did your house make out?

Fortunately this one was a different cell/tornado altogether from the one that passed over my house. All in all I can live with a giant branch in my yard, a few missing shingles, and a couple of pieces of broken siding (debris sticking right into the side of my house). Not to mention the fact that my fiance's car wasn't parked right under the tree like it usually is...it woulda been totalled.

[relic_hunter]

The attached picture preceeds the other I posted earlier today by about 8 minutes (it was hard to track time when I was so excited about experiencing this development first hand)...could have been more like 3 or 4 minutes.
 June_5th_2008_tornado__preliminary_development.jpg (23.02K)
Number of downloads: 6

The cell was moving right to left in this picture and the one I posted ealier was just to the left (east) of this location (I am facing due west at the time this pic was taken). I was at the on-ramp to 95 when this pic was taken and then moved to the (left) southeast onto Rt 95 as the cell moved to my southeast in order to track the development and (luckily) get the picture of the full blown tornado just before it crossed Rt 95.

[Nikolai]

My power just came back... longest outage other than Isabel, which lasted two days (this was only one.)

Tons of branches down, and several large trees entirely toppled over (75-100' high trees, roots completely out of the ground.) Probably the worst storm related damage I've ever seen here, including Isabel... Isabel took off many more small branches, but didn't uproot many trees. The first round was spectacular and the power went out as soon as the first gust hit, and I'd guess it was in the 70 mph neighborhood... had several more strong gusts in the 40-50 range, but nothing compared to the first one.

I think we had three or four storms in total, and either the second or third storm dropped penny sized hail for a minute or so. Best severe wx day here since some random day in 6/04 when the ground was covered by nickel sized hail. I've never seen winds this strong before, it was crazy.

Thank God I didn't have to go to school today either, since they ended up having no power. They finally dismissed them at 11:30, but that's really ridiculous. The same thing happened with the ice storm in February. FCPS hasn't used a single day this year when there have clearly been several occasions when they should have given students the day off; this was one of them.

[StormchaserChuck]

Interesting radar return near DC.. sea breeze?

 1.GIF (248.26K)
Number of downloads: 9

[Ian]

StormchaserChuck, on Jun 5 2008, 06:06 PM, said:

Interesting radar return near DC.. sea breeze?

1.GIF

lol... i just saved that and was about to do the same post. ;) it's like right overhead.

[Ian]

LWX afternoon AFD

Near term /through tonight/...
current surface analysis this afternoon shows a backdoor front
located near the metropolitan areas

BWI is 81 with ESE winds, DCA 85 with S winds

[StormchaserChuck]

Ian, on Jun 5 2008, 06:09 PM, said:

lol... i just saved that and was about to do the same post. ;) it's like right overhead.

It's destroying the storm!

[Kmlwx]

My tutors house was without power (around the Seminary Rd. and Georgia Ave.) intersection...tutored by candlelight in a 90 degree house...

Just got an email saying 19 MoCo schools are without power...probably be down to 5 or 6 by tomorrow morning.

[MN transplant]

Kmlwx, on Jun 5 2008, 07:00 PM, said:

My tutors house was without power (around the Seminary Rd. and Georgia Ave.) intersection...tutored by candlelight in a 90 degree house...

Just got an email saying 19 MoCo schools are without power...probably be down to 5 or 6 by tomorrow morning.

Still without power at my apartment. Went home after work and threw a bunch of stuff out of the fridge and then figured that it was about as good of a time as any to wash it. After that, took one of those "spash" showers where you don't stand under the ice cold water, but just cup your hand and throw it towards you. Turns out, not having power sucks. ;)

[Ian]

Statement as of 7:40 PM EDT on June 5, 2008


... National Weather Service damage survey team preliminary
assessments of June 4 extreme weather event...

National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington weather forecast
office storm damage survey teams surveyed damage in several
locations today. Very strong straight line winds affected most of
central and northern Virginia... Maryland west of the Bay... the
District of Columbia and the eastern West Virginia Panhandle. Survey
teams determined that tornadoes occurred in Calvert County
Maryland... and Clarke... Culpeper and Stafford counties in Virginia.

In Washington County... the team examined wind damage to structures
and trees in an area from Sharpsburg to Keedysville to Boonsboro. A
few outbuildings were destroyed and extensive tree damage was
observed. Some homes sustained wind damage to their roof structures
and one garage was damaged. Some of the damage to a barn... and one
area of wind damage to trees between Sharpsburg and Keedysville was
severe. Many Hardwood and softwood trees were snapped off at the
trunk. All of the damage was aligned along the direction of the wind
gusts and all of this wind damage was determined to be caused by
straight line winds. Very strong wind gusts to 100 mph are estimated
based on the damage caused by the storms.

In Jefferson County West Virginia... damage around Ranson... Charles
Town and Kabletown was examined. Some minor structural wind damage
was observed in the Leetown area along with large numbers of downed
and uprooted trees. Other wind damage was observed in Ranson...
mainly to trees... but also some siding damage. Other wind damage was
observed near Kabletown... mainly to trees and outbuildings leading
to some loss of livestock. Wind damage throughout Jefferson County
predominantly was consistent with straight line winds with speeds of
70 to 80 mph. A few areas of more intense wind damage consistent
with winds of 80 to 90 mph occured with signs and a tower knocked
over. An 85 mph wind gust was measured by an amateur radio operator
near Halltown WV at 323 PM.

In Anne Arundel County Maryland... a National Weather Service survey
team examined wind damage in the Belleview Estates section of
Severna Park. Large numbers of Hardwood trees... some up to 4 feet in
diameter... were uprooted with several falling into single family
residences causing damage. The tree damage and tree fall pattern
was indicative of straight line winds with speeds of 70 to 80 mph.

In Calvert County Maryland... a National Weather Service survey team
determined that an EF-0 tornado impacted portions of Chesapeake
Beach on Wednesday afternoon at approximately 340 PM. Approximately
a dozen Hardwood trees in the Richfield station area of Chesapeake
Beach were uprooted. One single family home had a 3 foot diameter
Tulip Poplar tree fall through the roof. Portions of roofs and
siding were torn away from 10-20 single family homes. Tree and roof
damage also occurred in the Bayview hills area of Chesapeake Beach.
In this location... siding damage on opposite sides of single family
homes was observed. A free standing light pole in Lynwood T. Kellam
Memorial Recreational Park was bent. The entire roof decking of a
restaurant on Bayside Road was blown away. The damage is indicated
as a high end EF-0 tornado... with wind gusts estimated at 85 mph.
The damage path of the tornado was approximately 1.5 miles long...
and 75 yards wide.

In Page County Virginia... an areal survey was conducted of the town
of Luray in Page County in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. An
intermittent path of damage about 3 miles long was caused by
straight line winds from thunderstorm microbursts. Numerous trees
were snapped or uprooted. One home had its tin roof and chimney
blown off. Numerous barns and outbuildings were either damaged or
destroyed. One Mobile home was damaged. 8 parked vehicles had their
windows blown out by wind blown rocks. Many power lines were downed.
The strongest wind in the Luray event destroyed a large well
constructed 30x40 foot barn. The maximum wind was estimated to be 90
mph. Total structural damage by local emergency management was
estimated to be around $237,000.

In Frederick County Virginia... an areal survey was conducted of
northern Frederick County Virginia just northwest of the city of
Winchester. The survey was conducted between the towns of Gainesboro
and Gore. A nearly continuous path of damage about 5 miles long
along Stony Hill Road was determined to be caused by straight line
winds from a severe thunderstorm. Maximum winds were estimated to be
100 mph. Dozens of trees were uprooted or snapped. Windows were
blown out of a few vehicles and homes. A large tower was toppled.
Several homes were damaged by downed trees. A large power corridor
line was broken. Total structural damage was not known by the
National Weather Service at this time.

In Clarke County Virginia... an areal survey was conducted over
eastern Clarke County in northwestern Virginia. A severe storm
created an intermittent path of damage from the town of Millwood
east northeast to where Route 7 crosses the Blue Ridge around the
Shenandoah Retreat area. The damage was most consistent around the
town of Millwood. At least 12 homes in that area were damaged...
consisting of trees into houses... siding... and roofing damage. The
majority of the damage in eastern Clarke County was caused by
straight line winds of 80 to 90 mph from microbursts produced by the
severe thunderstorm. Trees were mainly all laid out parallel to the
path of the storm. However... a small EF-1 tornado touched down
amongst The Pockets of straight line wind damage. Near the Carter
Hall area of Millwood... nearly all of the large trees in one strand
were uprooted or snapped and fell in nearly every direction. The
tornado had a path length of a half mile and a width of 100 yards.
Maximum wind speed was 90 mph. Total structural damage at this time
is estimated by local emergency management to be around $44,000 in
eastern Clarke County.

One damage survey team is still completing its work at this time.
Preliminarily it appears that there was a tornado in Culpeper County
and another tornado in Stafford County. Further details on the
strength... length and width of these tornadoes will be available
either late this evening or Friday.

The National Weather Service would like to extend our appreciation
to our spotters... the civil air patrol... and to state and County
emergency management officials for their assistance during and after
this extreme weather event.

[MdWx]

Very impressive round of storms yesterday. The way that southern portion of the line began bowing and screaming east you knew they'd get the worst of it. Up in here in Baltimore the clouds were a beautiful thing to watch, much less c/g lightning than I expected by the the rain was tremendous. Highest rate I witnesses on my DVP2 was around 6in an hour. Quite a few trees down but not near the magnitude of damage to our south.

[WEATHER53]

StormchaserChuck, on Jun 5 2008, 06:06 PM, said:

Interesting radar return near DC.. sea breeze?

1.GIF

Salisbury dropped about 12 degrees in 3 hours, down to 65 now, but interestingly not immediately with the advent of the easterly breezes, took about 2 hours for the drop to take effect after the wind switch.