2002 La Plata tornado

Top: Reflectivity radar recap of the supercell that spawned the tornado.
Bottom: Velocity radar recap of the supercell.

During that afternoon, a tornado formed from a supercell that developed in central West Virginia and moved across the Appalachian Mountains.[1] The thunderstorm first became tornadic near Quicksburg, VA. Several tornado warnings were issued for Rockingham and Shenandoah counties, where an F2 tornado occurred.[1] At 6:45 pm (EST), a severe thunderstorm warning was issued for northern Charles and Calvert Counties in which a call-to-action statement mentioned the possibility of tornadoes. Just 17 minutes later - at 7:02 pm, six minutes after the tornado touched down - tornado warnings were issued for both Charles and Calvert Counties.

When the warnings were issued, there was a problem with the EAS activation process: 53 percent of the radio stations broadcasting in the La Plata listening area experienced outages or other issues. Around the same time, eyewitness accounts indicated that a second tornado formed one-quarter mile south of the primary tornado. Between 7:02 and 7:07 p.m., both tornadoes crossed the heart of La Plata and caused catastrophic damage. As the primary tornado continued eastward through the rest of Charles County, the secondary tornado dissipated after peaking at F2 intensity.[4]

At approximately 7:30 pm, the tornado moved through Calvert County, causing widespread F1/F2 damage. After crossing through Chesapeake Bay, the tornado entered Dorchester County and intensified back to F3 strength, leaving a path of destruction before dissipating west of Salisbury, Maryland.

The La Plata tornado stayed on the ground (or in the bay) for 90 minutes, moving at an average speed of 43 mph (69 km/h) and causing a 64-mile path of damage and destruction through southeast Maryland.[4]

Picture of the tornado as a funnel cloud.

A brand-new orthodontist office completely flattened, in downtown La Plata.

The tornado took a path through Charles, Calvert, Dorchester and Wicomico Counties, downing or uprooting thousands of trees and leveling several structures, including catastrophic structural damage in downtown La Plata, where approximately 65 percent of the area was heavily damaged or destroyed.[5] 3 people were killed, and some 122 others were injured. In all, the tornado inflicted $115 million in damage.[4]

After touchdown, F1 damage was reported near Pisgah, where a house was unroofed with F3 damage reported in two subdivisions west of La Plata. Unfortunately, as the tornado moved southeastward, it continued to strengthen while tearing through downtown La Plata, with swaths of F4 being observed. Along Route 6, cars were tossed & thrown over, with the 125-foot city water tower also being blown over. At the Posies Market, only a few walls were left standing. Heavy F4 damage was noted just east of the lumber yard. While moving through La Plata, the tornado was likely moving at the unusually fast speed of 58 mph (93 km/h), nearly a mile a minute, with destruction occurring in near seconds.[1] After leaving La Plata, a heavily wooded area sustained severe damage, with several more homes being leveled. A 51-year-old man was killed with his wife being critically injured when their house, which was under construction, on Hawkins Gate Road collapsed. During the striking of one of the homes near Normandie and Route 6, seven people were inside and miraculously managed to survive. (3 were already in the basement while 2 others were on the first floor headed to the basement, with the last 2 still on the second floor.) In total across Charles County, 638 homes were damaged while 100 others were completely destroyed. 143 business (mainly in downtown La Plata) were damaged with 49 others being destroyed.[6]

At approximately 7:30 pm, the tornado moved into Calvert County south of the Patuxent River Bridge (Route 231) and struck the Patuxent View development in which over half of the homes were damaged. A home with no anchoring or foundation east of this area was picked up and thrown 80 feet into a culvert, unfortunately killing an elderly couple, whom were in the house at the time. The tornado damage in Calvert was rated F1 to F2 intensity; 125 homes were damaged, with another 10 being completely destroyed. Shortly thereafter, the twister crossed over into the Chesapeake Bay, just north of the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant, with evidence of damage along the shoreline.[6]

After crossing the Chesapeake Bay, the main tornado pushed into Dorchester County just south of Taylor's Island. F3 damage was reported with one house and several outbuildings, being destroyed near Hip Roof Road. Debris from the twister such as cancelled checks, bank/tax documents, and teller receipts from La Plata was found in southern Delaware, well over 60 miles away.[4]

There were five total fatalities attributed to the tornado; three as a direct result of the storm and two from indirect effects.[6] The tornado was initially rated F5 but was downgraded in a secondary damage survey. This preliminary F5 rating, partly due to damage to a brick building in downtown La Plata, was lowered to F4, after the damage assessment team determined some of the damage was likely due to flying debris from a lumber company nearby. Damage to houses, initially rated F5, were lowered when an engineering survey determined these homes were not properly anchored, causing them to be swept off their foundations by lesser winds. Due to the fast forward speed of this tornado, it had less time to dwell over structures & buildings, moving nearly a mile a minute (96.5 km/h), during its havoc in downtown La Plata; damage likely would have been more intense if the storm was slower. Although F4 tornadoes are already a rare event along the East Coast, what's even more odd with this storm was its forward speed & location well outside of the climatologically favored area of the country for violent tornadoes. This event is largely responsible for how twisters are surveyed today.[4] This is not the deadliest tornado to strike La Plata. On November 9, 1926, another F4 tornado killed 13 school children and 4 townspeople, injuring some 35.[7]

Entire house leveled by the tornado in La Plata, Maryland - Seven people were inside and all survived.

In the wake of the tornado, Gov. Parris N. Glendening declared a state of emergency in Charles, Calvert and Dorchester counties with County schools and offices closing also. The Red Cross helped place several families in nearby hotels.[4] Just two days later over 90% of the debris were cleared off the roads, opening traffic back up to the area. With media coverage of the deadly twister being nationwide, building damage surveys were being done by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's, Building Performance Assessment Team, and Wind Engineering Research Council during the same time the NWS was conducting their damage survey.[4] After/due to this event, La Plata placed several tornado sirens all around and near the town for preparation on future storms.[8]

• Tornado outbreak of June 2, 1998
• Tornado outbreak of September 24, 2001

• 1926 La Plata Tornado