Parts of the Washington DC region were under a tornado watch Tuesday as severe storms roared into the area.
Although there were no reports of tornadoes in DC, news outlets reported trees were toppled in the area and roads were flooded. The National Weather Service said the closest tornado Tuesday came in Talbot County, Maryland, about 70 miles from DC.
Tornadoes are uncommon in DC, but they have happened before. Here's a look at how frequent they happen in DC - and when the last one was.
How often do tornadoes happen in Washington DC?
There have been just five tornadoes in Washington DC since 1950, according to the National Weather Service.
All of those tornadoes have occurred since 2001, but none have risen above an EF1, which generate 86-110 MPH gusts.
Tornadoes are much more frequent outside
of DC, Capital Weather reports. There are about 10 tornadoes annually within a 70-mile radius of DC., the majority happening in the summer months.
When was the last tornado in Washington DC?
There were two tornadoes in DC on July 1, 2021, both impacting popular parts of the city.
A tornado that formed in Arlington, Virginia, crossed the Potomac River and snapped a tree on the National Mall, the National Weather Service says.
The tornado was about 1.5 miles long and damaged trees along Constitution Avenue.
"Concentrated damage at the north portion of Constitution Gardens was chaotic, with hardwood limbs and downed trees falling in multiple directions," the NWS said. "The last discernible tornadic damage was to temporary fencing on The Mall that was installed for the Independence Day celebration, directly across from The Ellipse. This fencing appeared to have been lifted up and twisted, landing in a mangled and haphazard manner."
Five minutes after the EF1 tornado, an EF0 tornado touched down in the H Street Corridor near the U.S. Capitol.
Officials said the second tornadocaused a tree to fall on two cars and another to snap a couple of blocks away. It eventually crossed into Maryland, causing more damage and downing several trees.
Each tornado caused about $100,000 worth of damage. The EF1 produced 90-mph winds, with the EF0 producing 80-mph winds.
Mike Stunson is a Washington DC-based reporter writing all things trending, breaking and DMV related for USA TODAY's DC Connect Team.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: When was the last tornado in Washington DC, and how frequent are they?
