Tornado Report: EF0 in Columbia Maryland July 29 2021

The eruption of severe storms that hit our region on Thursday July 29, 2021 left pockets of destruction. The region was under a Tornado Watch, and multiple Tornado Warnings were prompted in central Maryland during the afternoon.

One particular cell develop across Southern Carroll County and crossed I-70 into Howard County. This kept redeveloping south and seemed to reach maximum intensity over Columbia. 

Storm Damage 

According to a Tweet from Howard County Fire and EMS 

“HCDFRS is on scene in the 9000 block of Snowden River Pkwy, Columbia. | Exterior facade damage, no structural damage reported. | Building has been evacuated as a precaution and is closed at this time. County Inspections, Licenses & Permits dept will assess structural integrity.”

At first they would not confirm if it was storm damage, but this BJ’s Store and Tire Center is identified in the National Weather Service Storm Survey.

...NWS DAMAGE SURVEY FOR 7/29/21 COLUMBIA MD EF0 TORNADO 

*NWS reports are issued in all CAPS

* THE INFORMATION IN THIS STATEMENT IS PRELIMINARY AND SUBJECT TO 

  CHANGE PENDING FINAL REVIEW OF THE EVENT(S) AND PUBLICATION IN 

  STORM DATA. 

COLUMBIA MARYLAND TORNADO…

• RATING:                 EF-0
• ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    70 MPH
• PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/:  0.3 MILES
• PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   50 YARDS
• FATALITIES:             0
• INJURIES:               0
• START DATE:             JULY 29 2021
• START TIME:             5:07 PM EDT
• START LOCATION:         COLUMBIA MD / HOWARD COUNTY MD
• START LAT/LON:          39.1811 / -76.8219
• END DATE:               JULY 29 2021
• END TIME:               5:08 PM EDT
• END LOCATION:           COLUMBIA MD / HOWARD COUNTY MD
• END LAT/LON:            39.1823 / -76.8167

SURVEY SUMMARY:

A BRIEF EF0 TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN LATE THURSDAY AFTERNOON AT THE 

SNOWDEN SQUARE SHOPPING MALL. DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO A QUARTER-MILE

PATH, AND PEAK WIND GUSTS WERE ESTIMATED TO HAVE BEEN AROUND 70 

MPH. 

INITIAL TREE DAMAGE WAS NOTED IN FRONT OF THE GOODWILL STORE

WHERE TWO ORNAMENTAL TREES WERE SNAPPED AT THEIR BASE. SMALL 

BRANCH AND LEAF LITTER WAS NOTED AS THE TORNADO PASSED OVER THE 

OPEN PARKING LOT TOWARDS A BJS STORE.

AS THE TORNADO PASSED OVER  A BJ’S STORE AND TIRE CENTER, A SECTION OF THE WALL FACADE, 

ESTIMATED ABOUT 50 FEET BY 20 FEET, WAS REMOVED. THE AFFECTED WALL

WAS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE FROM THE DIRECTION OF STORM MOTION.

AN  EMPLOYEE AT THE TIRE CENTER NOTED THAT NEARBY SHOPPING CARTS WERE 

LOFTED AND THEN RAPIDLY BLOWN TO THE NORTH. THE STORE MANAGER 

NOTED THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT FROM A VIDEO TAKEN IN THE STORE 

SHORTLY AFTER IT HAPPENED.

THAT TIME MATCHED THE TIME THAT A TIGHT

TORNADIC CIRCULATION WITH HOOK ECHO WAS NOTED RIGHT OVER THE 

SHOPPING CENTER BY THE NEARBY TBWI TERMINAL DOPPLER RADAR. TBWI 

RADAR HAD A GOOD VIEW OF THE EVENT, AND WAS JUST 10 MILES AWAY AND

SAMPLING ONLY 600 FEET OFF THE GROUND OVER THE SHOPPING CENTER. 

FINAL DAMAGE WAS NOTED TO TWO MORE MID-SIZED TREES AT THE 

END OF SNOWDEN SQUARE DRIVE.

LARGE BRANCHES WERE SNAPPED OFF AND 

THROWN IN MULTIPLE DIRECTIONS, NORTH TO SOUTHEAST. TRASH AND 

DEBRIS WAS ALSO NOTED TO HAVE BEEN BLOWN TO THE SOUTHEAST INTO AN 

ADJACENT FIELD.

NO FURTHER DAMAGE WAS NOTED PAST THIS POINT. 

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE THANKS THE HOWARD COUNTY OFFICE OF 

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE WITH THIS SURVEY.

EF SCALE: THE ENHANCED FUJITA SCALE CLASSIFIES TORNADOES INTO THE

FOLLOWING CATEGORIES:

• EF0………65 TO 85 MPH
• EF1………86 TO 110 MPH
• EF2………111 TO 135 MPH
• EF3………136 TO 165 MPH
• EF4………166 TO 200 MPH

Storm Maps From That Day

Morning Outlook

Tornado Watch

Regional Radar Loop 3 PM to 6 PM

Local Doppler Radar Snapshots