A line of thunderstorms with winds up to 78 MPH, hail, and frequent lightning moved from northwest to southeast across Maryland during the afternoon and evening of the 26th.  Widespread damage was reported from downed trees and power lines in addition to lightning strikes.  Over 150,000 customers lost power as a direct result of the storms.  In Washington County, numerous trees and power lines were downed, especially across the western and central portion of the county. The hardest hit areas included Hancock, Williamsport, Fairplay, Pleasant Valley, Sharpsburg, Boonesboro, and Mt. Edna. A wind gust of 65 MPH was recorded by a spotter in Sharpsburg.  House fires caused by lightning were reported in Clear Spring and Brunswick.  In Frederick County, downed trees and power lines blocked 19 roads countywide, including Gapland Road in Burkittsville,  Route 144 just south of Interstate 70, and Route 40 just west of Middletown.  Other areas where damage was reported included Gapland, Emmitsburg, Brunswick, Petersville, Rosemont, Knoxville, and Frederick. A wind gust of 60 MPH was recorded in Point of Rocks.  A gust of 52 MPH was recorded in Frederick.  A garage in Knoxville burned to the ground after being struck by lightning. In Carroll County, several trees and power lines were downed.  A roof under construction was damaged at Carrolltown Center in Eldersburg.  In Westminster, West Main Street was closed for several hours by a live downed power line. In Baltimore County, numerous downed trees and power lines caused power outages, including in the community of Garrison.  Twenty trees were downed in the city of Baltimore.  In Howard County, numerous downed trees and power lines were reported.  In Montgomery County, a 59 MPH wind gust was recorded in Damascus and Potomac.  A wind gust of 57 MPH was reported in Rockville.  Downed trees and power lines were reported on Route 104 north of Laytonsville in addition to several other roads across the county. Communities reporting damage included Gaithersburg, Bethesda, Wheaton, Germantown, Takoma Park, Burtonsville, Silver Spring, Damascus, Rockville, Potomac, and Montgomery Village.  In addition, over a dozen buildings were struck by lightning, including a barn in Poolesville and apartment buildings in Silver Spring and Gaithersburg.  Unknown injures were reported at house fires in Potomac and Aspen Hill.   In Anne Arundel County, hundreds of trees and power lines were felled.  Damage was reported in Severna Park, Arden on the Severn, Cape St. John, Annapolis, Glen Burnie, Odenton, and Millersville. One woman and five children were trapped in a van when trees came down on it in Crofton. A wind gust of 49 MPH was recorded at BWI Airport.  In addition, a lightning strike started a fire which burned an unoccupied trailer home to the ground in Severna Park.  In Prince George's County, officials were quoted as saying parts of the county looked like a "war zone" after numerous trees and power lines were downed onto roads and structures.  In Bowie, numerous homes, porches, sheds, cars, and fences were damaged.  Over 60 dump truck loads of debris were removed from the city following the storm.  So many trees came down on the Whitemarsh Park nature trail that it was closed for weeks. In addition, damage was reported in Lanham, Hyattsville, Bladensburg, and Beltsville where a 78 MPH gust was recorded. A power line was downed onto the Capitol Beltway in Greenbelt and electrified a guard rail which led to the closure of the road for several hours.  Penny sized hail fell in Brandywine.  In Charles County, trees and power lines were downed in Bryantown.  Penny to quarter sized hail fell in Ironsides and penny sized hail was reported in Waldorf.  In Calvert County, numerous trees and power lines were felled. The hardest hit communities included Dunkirk and North Beach.  In St. Mary's County, power poles were downed in Wicomico Shores.

Thunderstorm Wind in CHARLES, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 17:15:00 to 26-AUG-03 17:15:00 (EST)
Location: BRYANTOWN
Magnitude: 50 EG
Property damage: 2K
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Trees and power lines were downed.

Hail in CHARLES, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 17:25:00 to 26-AUG-03 17:25:00 (EST)
Location: WALDORF
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Penny sized hail fell.

Thunderstorm Wind in ST. MARY'S, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 17:30:00 to 26-AUG-03 17:30:00 (EST)
Location: BUDDS CREEK
Magnitude: 50 EG
Property damage: 1K
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD

Power poles were downed in Wicomico Shores.

Hail in CHARLES, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 17:35:00 to 26-AUG-03 17:35:00 (EST)
Location: IRONSIDES
Magnitude: 1.00 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Penny to quarter sized hail was reported.

Thunderstorm Wind in ANNE ARUNDEL, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 15:50:00 to 26-AUG-03 16:15:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Magnitude: 55 EG
Property damage: 30K
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD

Hundreds of trees and power lines were downed.

Lightning in ANNE ARUNDEL, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 16:15:00 to 26-AUG-03 16:15:00 (EST)
Location: SEVERNA PARK
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

A mobile home burned to the ground after being struck by lightning.  The time was estimated.

Hail in PRINCE GEORGE'S, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 16:17:00 to 26-AUG-03 16:17:00 (EST)
Location: BRANDYWINE
Magnitude: 0.75 
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

Penny sized hail fell.

Thunderstorm Wind in CALVERT, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 16:15:00 to 26-AUG-03 16:45:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Magnitude: 55 EG
Property damage: 15K
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD

Numerous trees and power lines were downed.

Lightning in FREDERICK, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 15:30:00 to 26-AUG-03 15:30:00 (EST)
Location: KNOXVILLE
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

A garage burned to the ground after being struck by lightning. The time was estimated.

Thunderstorm Wind in FREDERICK, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 15:15:00 to 26-AUG-03 15:50:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Magnitude: 55 EG
Property damage: 20K
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD

Trees were downed onto several roads.

Thunderstorm Wind in FREDERICK, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 15:35:00 to 26-AUG-03 15:35:00 (EST)
Location: POINTS OF ROCKS
Magnitude: 52 MG
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

A wind gust of 60 MPH was measured.

Thunderstorm Wind in CARROLL, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 15:15:00 to 26-AUG-03 15:45:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Magnitude: 55 EG
Property damage: 20K
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD

Several trees and power lines were downed.

Thunderstorm Wind in BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 15:30:00 to 26-AUG-03 16:00:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Magnitude: 55 EG
Property damage: 20K
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD

Numerous trees were downed.

Thunderstorm Wind in MONTGOMERY, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 15:15:00 to 26-AUG-03 15:45:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Magnitude: 51 MG
Property damage: 20K
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD

A wind gust of 59 MPH was measured in Damascus and Potomac. Trees and power lines were downed across the county.

Lightning in MONTGOMERY, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 15:15:00 to 26-AUG-03 15:45:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Property damage: 100K
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD

Several structures caught fire after being struck by lightning.

Thunderstorm Wind in PRINCE GEORGE'S, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 15:40:00 to 26-AUG-03 16:40:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Magnitude: 60 EG
Property damage: 500K
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD

Numerous trees and power lines were downed.

Thunderstorm Wind in PRINCE GEORGE'S, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 15:45:00 to 26-AUG-03 15:45:00 (EST)
Location: BELTSVILLE
Magnitude: 68 MG
Reported by: AWOS,ASOS,MESONET,ETC

A wind gust of 78 MPH was recorded along with widespread tree damage.

Thunderstorm Wind in BALTIMORE CITY (C), MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 15:45:00 to 26-AUG-03 15:45:00 (EST)
Location: BALTIMORE
Magnitude: 55 EG
Property damage: 8K
Reported by: PARK/FOREST SERVICE

Twenty trees were downed.

Thunderstorm Wind in HOWARD, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 15:45:00 to 26-AUG-03 16:15:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Magnitude: 55 EG
Property damage: 15K
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD

Numerous trees and power lines were downed.

Thunderstorm Wind in WASHINGTON, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 14:20:00 to 26-AUG-03 15:00:00 (EST)
Location: COUNTYWIDE
Magnitude: 55 EG
Property damage: 20K
Reported by: FIRE DEPT/RESCUE SQUAD

Numerous trees and power lines were downed.

Lightning in WASHINGTON, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 14:43:00 to 26-AUG-03 14:43:00 (EST)
Location: CLEAR SPG
Reported by: NEWSPAPER

A house caught fire after being struck by lightning.

Thunderstorm Wind in WASHINGTON, MARYLAND
From 26-AUG-03 15:00:00 to 26-AUG-03 15:00:00 (EST)
Location: SHARPSBURG
Magnitude: 56 MG
Reported by: TRAINED SPOTTER

A 65 MPH wind gust was recorded.