Storms exit D.C. area after spawning destructive tornadoes (2024)

We know that this was a historically significant tornado event in the Washington area and that injuries and serious damage occurred.

Additional details will become clear as the night progresses and especially into tomorrow.

For the latest information on what we know, please see our live updates at this link:

While we cannot rule out a downpour overnight, we do not expect additional tornadoes. Tomorrow could bring some more severe storms, but the tornado risk will be lower.

9:10 p.m. — The sky over Baltimore as potential tornado passed by

9:01 p.m. — Weather Service reports confirmed tornado near Baltimore

At 8:55 p.m., the National Weather Service said that a confirmed tornado was located over Arbutus, or near Baltimore, moving east at 25 mph.

8:45 p.m. — Tornado warning for northern Anne Arundel County and Baltimore until 9:30 p.m.

The same rotating thunderstorm that produced the destructive tornado in Montgomery County is now entering southern Baltimore and northern Anne Arundel counties. A tornado warning is in effect for this zone, which includes the city of Baltimore, until 9:30 p.m.

The possible tornadic storm is near Elkridge and sweeping east at 20 mph. It’s on a path to pass very close to Baltimore in the next 30 minutes. Seek shelter at the lowest floor of a sturdy building, away from windows, if in the storm’s path.

8:20 p.m. — Tornado warning remains in effect for southern Howard County and northwest Anne Arundel County until 8:45 p.m.; multiple reports of people trapped in Gaithersburg from collapsed structures.

At 8:20 p.m., radar suggested a tornado just south of Clarksville in southern Howard County, heading east at 25 mph, on a path toward the south side of Columbia. People in this zone should seek shelter immediately.

Here’s some more tornado footage which has come in from earlier:

8:05 p.m. — Tornado warning remains in effect for eastern Montgomery County until 8:15 p.m.; warning extended into portions of Howard and Anne Arundel counties, until 8:45 p.m.

At 8:05 p.m., radar indicated a possible tornado south of Brookeville in eastern Montgomery County headed east at 25 mph toward southern Howard County and northern Anne Arundel County, where a tornado warning is now in effect until 8:45 p.m. The warning includes the south side of Columbia.

Earlier, this remarkable video of the confirmed tornado in Montgomery County was taken in Darnesville, in the western part of the county.

7:55 p.m. — Probable tornado approaching Olney and headed toward Ashton in east central Montgomery County; report of structure collapse in Gaithersburg.

According to Piringer of Montgomery County Fire and Rescue, a structure collapsed in Gaithersburg and people are trapped after the tornado passed by.

7:45 p.m. — Radar indicates tornado is east of Gaithersburg and headed toward Deerwood and Olney; seek shelter immediately in this zone.

Here’s what the tornado looked like in Poolesville:

And this is a recent scene from Gaithersburg:

7:30 p.m. — Tornado warning for Montgomery County continues until 8:15 p.m. for confirmed tornado. Weather Service says it’s a “particularly dangerous situation.”

Here’s video of the tornado when it was near Poolesville, Md:

7:25 p.m. — Very serious situation as confirmed tornado heads toward Interstate 270 corridor near Gaithersburg.

7:15 p.m. — Confirmed tornado near Poolesville moving east at 20 mph; warning extended until 7:45 p.m. and includes Germantown and Gaithersburg.

The Weather Service says there is a confirmed tornado near Poolesville that could affect Germantown and Gaithersburg on its current path.

An image of the tornado has come in from social media:

7 p.m. — Tornado warnings in effect for western Montgomery County and east central Frederick County until 7:30 p.m.

An area of storms capable of producing a quick hitting tornado or two is entering western Montgomery County. Although there’s no specific area of rotation on radar, a tornado could develop quickly in this area. Seek shelter at the lowest level of a sturdy building, away from windows, just in case, until the warning expires.

A separate tornado warning is in effect for east central Frederick County until 7:30 p.m. An area of rotation east of Walkersville, headed northeast at 20 mph could also produce a tornado.

6:40 p.m. — Tornado warning for northeastern Loudoun and west central Montgomery counties until 7 p.m.

At 6:40 p.m., there was a radar-suggested tornado north of Leesburg headed east at 20 mph. If you’re in the path of the storm, seek shelter at the lowest level of a sturdy building, away from windows.

3:15 p.m. — Tornado warning ended, showers and storms into immediate area.

A band of scattered showers and storms continues to press north and northeast across the area. The earlier tornado warning for Charles County has ended and storms locally do not currently show much additional threat at the moment. The most intense activity in the region is presently north of us, to the west of Baltimore. Any storms that do turn powerful will have the potential for a quick spin up in addition to heavy rain.

This band of scattered showers and thunderstorms will pass the area over the next 60 to 90 minutes.

2:50 p.m. — Tornado warning hoisted in Charles County until 3:15 p.m.

Storms moving into the area are exhibiting some rotation. The first warning of the day is a tornado warning for parts of Charles County. The spin center of the storm recently passed Indian Head and is headed northeast. It is crossing the Potomac River. Bryans Road and Marshall Hall are in the path of the storm.

From 2:15 p.m. …

Lots of clouds today teamed up with high humidity to make it feel both sticky and a little gloomy. The main cause is a warm front passing through in the region. That front, mainly a wind shift, can act as a conduit for showers and storms, as it has been today. While severe weather should be limited, there is the potential for isolated wind damage or a tornado. We’ll also remain in a spot to keep watch for additional storms into tonight.

Through Tonight: Scattered storms move northeast across the area through 5 p.m. or so, with the possibility of isolated damaging wind or a brief tornado.

Additional showers and storms could roam through evening. Rain may quickly add up to a few inches in any spots that see multiple storms pass. Activity should wane after sunset, but another batch or two of showers could pass overnight. With humidity staying high, temperatures only settle to around 70 for lows. Some patchy fog is possible as well.

Tomorrow (Thursday): Clouds may still be numerous in the morning. Skies probably trend partly sunny with time. A touch warmer again out ahead of the approaching cold front. Showers and storms that develop late in the day may focus to our south and east, but we should see some in the area. Highs mainly reach the mid- and upper 80s.

Storm threat: Clouds filled the sky through the day, but with abundant low-level moisture and a good deal of warmth, the stage is still set to deliver at least a round of heftier activity, if not two. The first round moves by over the next couple hours with another possible closer to sunset. The main threat is for heavy rain, but severe weather is also possible given the available fuel.

Here’s what Capital Weather Gang’s Jeff Halverson has to say:

“Today’s severe potential is not expected to be widespread, rather isolated toward late afternoon and evening. When we look at the intensity of instability and wind shear contributing to severe storms, we don’t see exceptional values in either, and instability remains a bit of a wild card given persistent cloud cover into the early afternoon.

However, a warm front will push through, and it is bringing a strong pocket of low-level spin. Its arrival time combined with moderate instability and shear, may be enough — in combination — to trigger a couple of transient, rotating storms, including the possibility of a weak tornado or two. Additionally, very high moisture levels through the deep atmosphere, in combination with the slow-moving warm front, raises the possibility of re-triggering of storm cells, with isolated instances of flash flooding in some areas.”

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