880
Recorded events
2
Direct deaths
6
Direct injuries
$28.9M
Property damage
Thunderstorm Wind in Montgomery County, Maryland: 880 recorded events between 1959 and 2026. The strongest on record measured 80. That places the county #12 nationally and #1 statewide for this hazard.
Decade by decade
Thunderstorm Wind in Montgomery County, Maryland: events per decade
Reporting practice changed over time — early decades are undercounted, not calmer.
The busiest decade for thunderstorm wind in Montgomery County is the 2010s, when 373 of the county's 880 recorded events were logged. Comparing decades is useful for spotting active periods, but the earliest years are thin because systematic reporting for this hazard began later.
Within the Montgomery County archive, thunderstorm wind makes up 55.0% of all recorded severe weather across 8 hazard types. Nationally the county sits at #12 for this hazard and #1 within Maryland, putting it in the 99.7 percentile of all U.S. counties.
Seasonality
Events by month
Jul is the peak month for thunderstorm wind in Montgomery County with 254 recorded events, while Oct is the quietest. Seasonality here is a property of the archive as much as the climate: reports cluster where population and spotter networks are densest.
Significant events
Deadliest on record
| Date | Location | Scale | Deaths | Injuries | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2019 | HOLLYWOOD PARK | 52 | 1 | 0 | $1.5M |
| Jun 18, 1997 | POTOMAC | 55 | 1 | 0 | $300K |
| Aug 27, 2021 | CAPITOL VIEW PARK | 60 | 0 | 3 | $40K |
| Aug 11, 2021 | PARKWOOD | 65 | 0 | 1 | $500K |
| Apr 21, 2017 | TAKOMA PARK | 52 | 0 | 1 | $0 |
| Jun 13, 1998 | COUNTYWIDE | 56 | 0 | 1 | $100K |
Most recent
Latest recorded events
| Date | Location | Magnitude | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 16, 2026 | COMUS | 52 | $1K |
| Mar 16, 2026 | GLEN | 56 | $10K |
| Mar 16, 2026 | ROCKVILLE | 52 | $1K |
| Mar 16, 2026 | GLEN | 52 | $10K |
| Mar 16, 2026 | POTOMAC | 52 | $1K |
| Mar 16, 2026 | CEDAR GROVE | 52 | $1K |
| Mar 16, 2026 | CEDAR GROVE | 52 | $1K |
| Mar 16, 2026 | CLARKSBURG | 52 | $1K |
| Mar 16, 2026 | BOYDS | 52 | $2K |
| Mar 16, 2026 | POOLESVILLE | 61 | $10K |
Other hazards here
More from Montgomery County
- Flash Flood 241
- Hail 191
- Flood 186
- Lightning 42
From the record
What the reports say
Written by National Weather Service staff at the time of the event · public domain
Hundreds of trees, branches and wires blew down between Rockville and North Bethesda. Trees blew down onto cars and porches in the Bethesda Park Condo Complex, displacing residents. The roof blew off of The Original Pancake House in the 12200 block of MD-355 Rockville Pike; the roof partially blew off another building across the street. Large trees blew down onto structures in the 1200 block of Charles Road. Trees blew down on southbound MD-185 Connecticut Avenue at MD-586 Veirs Mill Road. Numeorus trees blew down along Tilden Lane. Trees blew down on MD-355 Rockville Pike at I-495 Capital Beltway. A large tree blew down onto two residences on Charles Road trapping several people.
Extensive tree and powerline damage occurred from Silver Spring to Wheaton, Aspen Hill, and White Oak. Several homes were struck by trees which caused extensive property damage in the neighborhoods. PEPCO reported more than 18,000 customers without power in Montgomery County.
Dozens of trees, branches and wires blew down near Glen Echo and Cabin John. Numerous trees blew down onto power lines. Cabin John Parkway, Clara Barton Parkway, and Macarthur Boulevard remained closed for several days due to downed trees. A tree blew down onto a house in the 6000 block of Cromwell Drive. Trees blew down on eastbound MD-190 River Road at Whittier Boulevard. Trees blew down on eastbound MD-614 Goldsboro Road at Wedgewood Road.
Quick answers
Frequently asked
How many thunderstorm wind events are on record in Montgomery County, Maryland?
880 thunderstorm wind events are recorded in Montgomery County between 1959 and 2026, causing 2 direct deaths.
What is the strongest thunderstorm wind recorded in Montgomery County?
The strongest thunderstorm wind on record in Montgomery County measured 80.
Where does the thunderstorm wind data for Montgomery County come from?
All events come from the NOAA/NCEI Storm Events Database, the federal public-domain archive of severe weather reports. Dates are UTC, damage is as reported and not inflation-adjusted, and the most recent entries may still be revised.
Cite this page
“Thunderstorm Wind in Montgomery County, Maryland.” Severe Weather History. severeweatherhistory.com/county/maryland/montgomery-county/thunderstorm-wind/ · Data: NOAA/NCEI, FEMA, U.S. Census — public domain.