Find out what thunderstorm, flood, heat or winter warnings apply to the District right now
No active warnings or watches in District of Columbia
Nothing is listed right now. Check your exact location for the latest.
District of Columbia severe weather alerts by type
What each kind of alert means and where to see it for District of Columbia.
District of Columbia tornado watches and warnings
None active in District of Columbia right now. A tornado watch means tornadoes are possible.
District of Columbia severe thunderstorm watches and warnings
None active in District of Columbia right now. A severe thunderstorm has winds of 58 mph or higher, hail 1 inch across or larger, or both.
District of Columbia flood watches and flash flood warnings
None active in District of Columbia right now. A flood watch means flooding is possible.
District of Columbia winter storm, ice storm, snow and blizzard warnings
None active in District of Columbia right now. Winter alerts run from a watch (possible within about 48 hours) to a warning (occurring or imminent) and an advisory for less serious but still inconvenient conditions.
District of Columbia heat advisories and extreme heat warnings
None active in District of Columbia right now. A heat advisory is the lower level and an extreme heat warning the higher level; both based on the heat index.
District of Columbia wind advisories and high wind warnings
None active in District of Columbia right now. A wind advisory is for strong winds; a high wind warning is for damaging winds.
District of Columbia tropical storm and hurricane alerts
None active in District of Columbia right now. Tropical alerts name the wind or surge threat and how soon it is expected: a watch means conditions are possible, generally within 48 hours; a warning means they are expected within about 36 hours.
Other alert types: Fire weather · Coastal · Marine
District of Columbia tornado history: last tornado, strongest and worst on record
From the NOAA Storm Prediction Center database, 1950 through 2025.
District of Columbia has 3 tornadoes on record, about 1 a year, and 2 of them since 2000. None were rated EF3 or stronger. They caused 1 injuries and no recorded deaths.
| 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The single busiest month is April (33% of the total).
Counts use each tornado's starting state. Ratings before 2007 use the original Fujita scale. The database ends in 2025, so more recent tornadoes are not included.
District of Columbia flood map and flood warnings
No flood watch or warning is active in District of Columbia right now. Flood zones are mapped by FEMA street by street. FEMA's Flood Map Service Center lets you search an address and see its flood zone.
District of Columbia storm tracker: storms and events
No tracked events involve District of Columbia right now.
Official sources for District of Columbia
District of Columbia emergency managementFEMA: state and local emergency managementNWS Baltimore/Washington: warnings and local alertsNWS safety guidesCommon questions
Is there a tornado warning, winter storm warning or other weather warning in District of Columbia right now?
We do not see an active tornado, winter storm or other warning or watch for District of Columbia in the latest National Weather Service data. Conditions change quickly, so check your ZIP code for the latest.
When was the last tornado in District of Columbia, and how many have there been since 2000?
The most recent tornado in the NOAA Storm Prediction Center database for District of Columbia is July 1, 2021, rated EF0. The database lists 2 District of Columbia tornadoes since 2000 and 3 since 1950. It runs through 2025, so it does not include later tornadoes.
What is the strongest tornado in District of Columbia history?
By rating, the strongest in the record is May 18, 1995, rated EF0. Ratings before 2007 use the original Fujita scale.
How does District of Columbia rank for tornadoes among the states?
District of Columbia ranks 0th of 50 states by the number of tornadoes since 1950: 3 in all, about 1 a year. 0 were rated EF3 or stronger. They caused 0 deaths and 1 injuries, and the busiest year was 2021 with 1. Each tornado is counted in the state where it started.
When is tornado season in District of Columbia?
April is the busiest single month, with 33% of the total. Tornadoes can happen in any month.
Where do I find District of Columbia emergency management and National Weather Service offices?
The state agency is DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (https://hsema.dc.gov/). The National Weather Service offices that cover District of Columbia include NWS Baltimore/Washington. Evacuation zones and orders come from your county or state emergency management office, not from this site.
Which District of Columbia cities and counties have their own alert pages?
This site has city pages for District of Columbia (Washington). Each city page shows the alerts for the center of that city.
Be ready in District of Columbia
Official-source guides for the weather District of Columbia sees most.
Cities and counties in District of Columbia
Live alerts and local storm history for each city, grouped by the county it is in.
District of Columbia: Washington
Alert data comes from the National Weather Service and is refreshed every 15 minutes.