List of District of Columbia tornadoes
Encyclopedia
Although it is a relatively small geographical area and tornado
es are a relatively rare phenomenon in the Mid-Atlantic
region, Washington, D.C.
, has been hit by at least seven of these damaging storms since modern records have been kept. This list may be incomplete, as official tornado records only extend back to 1950 in the United States.
The surrounding states of Virginia
and Maryland
average 10 and 6 tornadoes per year, respectively, which is 0.23 and 0.48 tornadoes per 1000 square miles (2,590 km²) per year. In the same time period (1953–2004), Washington experienced only two tornadoes. However, this works out to around 0.56 tornadoes per 1000 square miles (2,590 km²) per year, which is a bit higher than the average for the surrounding area. The climatological peak for tornado occurrences in the area is in July; however, most Washington tornadoes have struck in May, while some have formed as early as April and as late as November.
One tornado of particular historical significance is the 1814 storm. Although there is some debate as to whether this storm was a true tornado, it likely killed some British soldiers, heavy rains helped extinguish the fires set by the British, and the losses suffered contributed to their withdrawal from the city. More recent tornadoes have damaged several national landmarks, including the National Arboretum
, United States Botanic Garden
, and the Smithsonian Institution
. Another tornado occurred just two weeks after the September 11 attacks in 2001, crossing the National Mall
and narrowly missing the Pentagon
.
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
es are a relatively rare phenomenon in the Mid-Atlantic
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
region, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, has been hit by at least seven of these damaging storms since modern records have been kept. This list may be incomplete, as official tornado records only extend back to 1950 in the United States.
The surrounding states of Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
average 10 and 6 tornadoes per year, respectively, which is 0.23 and 0.48 tornadoes per 1000 square miles (2,590 km²) per year. In the same time period (1953–2004), Washington experienced only two tornadoes. However, this works out to around 0.56 tornadoes per 1000 square miles (2,590 km²) per year, which is a bit higher than the average for the surrounding area. The climatological peak for tornado occurrences in the area is in July; however, most Washington tornadoes have struck in May, while some have formed as early as April and as late as November.
One tornado of particular historical significance is the 1814 storm. Although there is some debate as to whether this storm was a true tornado, it likely killed some British soldiers, heavy rains helped extinguish the fires set by the British, and the losses suffered contributed to their withdrawal from the city. More recent tornadoes have damaged several national landmarks, including the National Arboretum
United States National Arboretum
The United States National Arboretum is an arboretum in Washington, D.C., operated by the United States Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service as a division of the Henry A. Wallace Beltsville Agricultural Research Center...
, United States Botanic Garden
United States Botanic Garden
The United States Botanic Garden is a botanic garden on the grounds of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., near Garfield Circle....
, and the Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Institution
The Smithsonian Institution is an educational and research institute and associated museum complex, administered and funded by the government of the United States and by funds from its endowment, contributions, and profits from its retail operations, concessions, licensing activities, and magazines...
. Another tornado occurred just two weeks after the September 11 attacks in 2001, crossing the National Mall
National Mall
The National Mall is an open-area national park in downtown Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States. The National Mall is a unit of the National Park Service , and is administered by the National Mall and Memorial Parks unit...
and narrowly missing the Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
.
Tornadoes
- August 25, 1814: A "most tremendous hurricane" struck the city during the Burning of WashingtonBurning of WashingtonThe Burning of Washington was an armed conflict during the War of 1812 between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and the United States of America. On August 24, 1814, led by General Robert Ross, a British force occupied Washington, D.C. and set fire to many public buildings following...
during the War of 1812War of 1812The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
. There are few historical accounts of this event, and many sources disagree on the details. Some sources question whether this event was a tornado or a hurricaneTropical cycloneA tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
. However, most agree that it was a true tornado, and some maintain that it was a tornado followed closely by a hurricane. Whatever its nature, the storm tore the roofs from many buildings. Several cannons were thrown through the air by the violent winds. Thirty British soldiers and some residents were buried in the rubble, and several died. Damage to trees also occurred "higher in the country." The British Army left Washington soon after the storm, and heavy rains which accompanied the storm helped extinguish the fires.
- September 16, 1888: Around 3:15 pm, an F2 tornado tracked for 2 miles (3.2 km) along Maryland Avenue, unroofing two homes and damaging the Botanic Garden and the roof of the Smithsonian Institution.
- April 5, 1923: A tornado touched down in the northern Rock Creek ParkRock Creek ParkRock Creek Park is a large urban natural area with public park facilities that bisects Washington, D.C. The park is administered by the National Park Service.-Rock Creek Park:The main section of the park contains , or , along the Rock Creek Valley...
, moving northeast into MarylandMarylandMaryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
.
- May 14, 1927: A weak tornado produced minor damage near North Capitol Street and Rhode Island Avenue. The funnel was a landspoutLandspoutA lololol is a slang term coined by meteorologist Howard B. Bluestein in 1985 for a kind of tornado not associated with the mesocyclone of a thunderstorm...
, not associated with a severe thunderstorm, as no wind was reported outside of the damage area. A few trees were uprooted or damaged, with structural damage being limited to roof shingles and awnings, as well as a few tombstones knocked over.
- November 17, 1927: A tornado touched down near Alexandria, VirginiaAlexandria, VirginiaAlexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
, and moved north-northeast across eastern parts of Washington. It passed through the Capitol Hill neighborhood just 9 blocks east of the US Capitol Building, and damaged or destroyed 150 homes before passing north into Maryland.
- May 21, 1943: A waterspoutWaterspoutA waterspout is an intense columnar vortex that occurs over a body of water and is connected to a cumuliform cloud. In the common form, it is a non-supercell tornado over water. While it is often weaker than most of its land counterparts, stronger versions spawned by mesocyclones do occur...
formed over the Potomac RiverPotomac RiverThe Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
, moving on land near the Jefferson MemorialJefferson MemorialThe Thomas Jefferson Memorial is a presidential memorial in Washington, D.C. that is dedicated to Thomas Jefferson, an American Founding Father and the third President of the United States....
before dissipating without damaging any structures. Another funnelFunnel cloudA funnel cloud is a funnel-shaped cloud of condensed water droplets, associated with a rotating column of wind and extending from the base of a cloud but not reaching the ground or a water surface. A funnel cloud is usually visible as a cone-shaped or needle like protuberance from the main cloud...
was also sighted, which may have touched down briefly near the National Naval Medical CenterNational Naval Medical CenterThe National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, USA — commonly known as the Bethesda Naval Hospital — was for decades the flagship of the United States Navy's system of medical centers. A federal institution, it conducted medical and dental research as well as providing health care for...
in nearby Bethesda, MarylandBethesda, MarylandBethesda is a census designated place in southern Montgomery County, Maryland, United States, just northwest of Washington, D.C. It takes its name from a local church, the Bethesda Meeting House , which in turn took its name from Jerusalem's Pool of Bethesda...
.
- May 18, 1995: A tornado uprooted dozens of trees and inflicted $50,000 in damage at the National Arboretum.
- September 24, 2001: During a series of tornadoes in the Washington region, a weak tornado passed near the Pentagon, crossed the Potomac, and damaged some trees in D.C. before dissipating near the National Mall. Another funnel cloud passed over Union StationUnion Station (Washington, D.C.)Washington Union Station is a train station and leisure destination visited by 32 million people each year in the center of Washington, D.C. The train station is served by Amtrak, MARC and Virginia Railway Express commuter rail services as well as by Washington Metro subway trains and local buses...
, but this one would not touch down as a tornado until it reached the College ParkCollege Park, MarylandCollege Park is a city in Prince George's County, Maryland, USA. The population was 30,413 at the 2010 census. It is best known as the home of the University of Maryland, College Park, and since 1994 the city has also been home to the "Archives II" facility of the U.S...
and BeltsvilleBeltsville, MarylandBeltsville is a census-designated place in northern Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The population was 15,691 at the 2000 census. Beltsville includes the unincorporated community of Vansville.-Geography:...
areas of Maryland.