Tornado Whirls Across Southeastern Baltimore County

An apparent tornado roared across part of Baltimore County yesterday, snapping or uprooting dozens of trees, as wet and stormy weather returned to the Baltimore-Washington region for yet another day.

In a preliminary report, the National Weather Service said its survey indicated that a tornado with a 90 mph peak wind ripped across the southeastern section of Baltimore County, in the Essex area, about 3:45 p.m.

Two trees fell into houses as the storm tore a path five miles long and about 150 yards wide, the weather service said.

Katherine Holmes of Essex said she saw "dark black clouds" and blowing leaves. As her television began beeping a warning, she said, the electricity went out. A tree fell on a neighbor's house, she said, and authorities later went door to door asking about structural damage.

In other parts of the region, wind and rain also marked the last full day of spring. Today, in addition to being Father's Day, is the first day of astronomical summer. The 14 hours and 54 minutes between today's sunrise and sunset may be cloudy ones, the weather service said, and a chance of showers remains in the forecast. But the odds are only one in five that today will be another rainy day in a month that has already recorded 5.46 inches of precipitation.

Some of yesterday's heaviest storm damage outside Baltimore County occurred in Charles County, where trees toppled in several spots as a fierce thunderstorm rolled through about 3:30 p.m.

"I just saw so many trees down," said Betty Thompson, who lives on Piccowaxen Creek Road, northwest of Swan Point in Charles.

"Oh my goodness," she said. "There was a lot of wind. Wind and lightning." She said rain pounded the windows of her sunroom.