It hit like a summer ambush. Just after lunch on Thursday, June 13, the skies over Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia darkened, and by mid-afternoon, powerful storms ripped through the region with pounding hail, 70 mph winds, and dangerous flooding—turning quiet neighborhoods and busy highways into disaster zones.
From 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., a massive line of severe thunderstorms swept across the Mid-Atlantic, triggering widespread damage, traffic gridlock, and thousands of power outages. The National Weather Service issued back-to-back severe thunderstorm warnings for nearly every county in the DMV, as the fast-moving system caused significant structural and tree damage from western Maryland down to southern Virginia.
How It Started: A Volatile Mix of Heat and Cold
The storm developed when a sharp cold front slammed into a hot, moisture-heavy air mass sitting over the region. This kind of atmospheric collision created perfect conditions for explosive storm development. By early afternoon, radar showed storm cells rapidly intensifying across the Blue Ridge Mountains before barreling east toward the urban core.
Meteorologists warned early on that this wasn’t going to be a normal summer thunderstorm. With upper-level winds adding fuel to the system, the storms organized into a line capable of producing widespread wind damage, large hail, and even isolated tornadoes.
What Happened on the Ground: Warnings, Damage, and Chaos
As storms pushed into the metro area, alerts went out quickly. Between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., severe thunderstorm warnings hit Montgomery County, Arlington, Washington, D.C., and much of Northern Virginia. By 6 p.m., the most intense bands had shifted into southern Maryland and points south, hitting Charles, Prince George’s, and Stafford counties.
Residents across the region reported a barrage of intense weather:
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Hail as large as ping-pong balls pelted cars and rooftops in parts of Northern Virginia.
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Winds up to 70 mph knocked down trees, snapped power lines, and scattered debris across roads and sidewalks.
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Torrential rainfall led to flash flooding in parts of D.C., closing intersections and stranding drivers in rising water.
At the peak of the storm, over 45,000 homes and businesses were without power across Maryland and Virginia. First responders raced to clear roads, direct traffic, and respond to downed wires and damaged property.
Timeline: Region by Region
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2–3 p.m.: Storm cells erupt over western Maryland and Shenandoah Valley.
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3–5 p.m.: Severe activity explodes over D.C., Alexandria, Fairfax, and Montgomery County.
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5–7 p.m.: Storms push southeast, slamming into Prince George’s County, Charles County, and points toward Fredericksburg.
Metro delays, flight disruptions, and school closures followed shortly after as winds took down power poles and lightning sparked fire calls across multiple districts.
The Science Behind the Storm: Not Just a Summer Shower
This system wasn’t just an ordinary thunderstorm. It formed as part of a broader, multi-day severe weather pattern affecting much of the eastern United States. The difference this time was the strength of the low-level jet stream and wind shear, which allowed these storms to maintain intensity and organization for hours.
The NWS explained that this line of storms likely produced multiple “downbursts”—localized blasts of wind that can flatten trees like a tornado, but without the rotating funnel. Some gusts reached speeds equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane.
Aftermath and What’s Next
While the most violent weather has moved out, cleanup will take days. Utility crews are working overtime to restore power, while local governments begin assessing structural damage to homes and public facilities.
Fortunately, no deaths or critical injuries were reported as of Thursday night, though multiple minor injuries were attributed to falling branches and car crashes.
As the skies clear Friday, a cool-down is expected, with highs in the lower 70s and calmer winds. Still, residents are urged to stay alert, as the ground remains saturated and branches weakened from wind damage could fall later.
