List of Washington, D.C. tornadoes

Although it is a relatively small geographical area and tornadoes 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.^[1]

The surrounding states of Virginia and Maryland average 10 and 6 tornadoes per year, respectively, which is 0.23 and 0.48 tornadoes per 1,000 square miles (2,600 km²) per year.^[2] In the same time period (1953–2004), Washington experienced only two tornadoes. However, this works out to around 0.56 tornadoes per 1,000 square miles (2,600 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;^[3] 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.^[4] More recent tornadoes have damaged several national landmarks, including the National Arboretum, United States Botanic Garden, and the Smithsonian Institution.^[5][6] Another tornado occurred just two weeks after the September 11 attacks in 2001, crossing the National Mall and narrowly missing the Pentagon.

Contents 1 Tornadoes 2 References 2.1 Book reference 3 External links

Tornadoes

• August 25, 1814: A "most tremendous hurricane" struck the city during the Burning of Washington during the War of 1812. 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 hurricane. 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.^[4][5][7][8]

• 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.^[5][6]

• April 5, 1923: A tornado touched down in the northern Rock Creek Park, moving northeast into Maryland.^[9]

• May 14, 1927: A weak tornado produced minor damage near North Capitol Street and Rhode Island Avenue. The funnel was a landspout, 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.^[5][10]

• November 17, 1927: A tornado touched down near Alexandria, Virginia, 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.^[11]

• May 21, 1943: A waterspout formed over the Potomac River, moving on land near the Jefferson Memorial before dissipating without damaging any structures. Another funnel was also sighted, which may have touched down briefly near the National Naval Medical Center in nearby Bethesda, Maryland.^[5]

• May 18, 1995: A tornado uprooted dozens of trees and inflicted $50,000 in damage at the National Arboretum.^[5]

• 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 Station, but this one would not touch down as a tornado until it reached the College Park and Beltsville areas of Maryland.^[12]

References

Book reference

• Grazulis, Thomas P (July 1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680–1991. St. Johnsbury, VT: The Tornado Project of Environmental Films. ISBN 1-879362-03-1. 
• Ludlum, David McWilliams (1970). Early American Tornadoes 1586–1870. Boston, MA: American Meteorological Society. ISBN 0933876327. 

External links

• The Washington DC Tornado of 24 September 2001: Pre-storm environment and radar perspectives
• The Tornado and the Burning of Washington, August 25, 1814