Tornado Outbreak in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia

The National Weather Service confirmed that at least seven tornadoes struck Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia on Wednesday night, marking a historically significant outbreak in the region. Five tornadoes were confirmed in Maryland, potentially placing this event among the top 15 tornado outbreaks in a single day for the state, with further confirmations possible. The most significant tornado cut a 12-mile path through Montgomery County, from Poolesville to Gaithersburg, with peak winds of 105 mph, causing significant damage and injuring five people. Other tornadoes were confirmed in southern Baltimore County, Middle River, Leesburg, Columbia, Eldersburg, and Inwood, W.Va., with varying degrees of damage mostly involving trees and buildings. The dominant supercell that traveled through Montgomery, Howard, and Baltimore counties produced at least four tornadoes. Historically, Maryland has seen five or more tornadoes in a single day only 15 times since 1950, with the record being 14 tornadoes on July 27, 1994. This event could rise in historical rankings as more tornadoes are confirmed.