The National Weather Service confirmed that at least six tornadoes struck Maryland and northern Virginia during Wednesday's massive storm outbreak. WRC/4 reports that National Weather Service meteorologists evaluated the Chesapeake Beach, Md. storm in Calvert County as an EF-0, the weakest form of tornado. The aerial pictures demonstrated if nothing else that even the weakest of tornadoes can cause significant damage.
Northern Virginia's multiple damage patterns were caused at least in part by tornadoes as well. EF-1 tornadoes caused damage in Stafford, Culpeper and Fauquier counties. EF-1 is the next highest level of tornado severity after EF-0 on the Enhanced Fujita scale.
Much of the damage that occurred in the Washington, D.C. area though was the result of straight line winds. Gusts of 70 to 80 mph over a wide geographic area caused over 300,000 customers to lose electrical service including the DCAbloob homestead. A few tens of thousands are still without power, an increasing concern with the forecast of excessive heat this weekend.
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Relevant links: WRC/4, NWS: Baltimore/Washington
