²ÝÝ®´«Ã½â€™s Neal Augenstein reported that Guinea Road was closed between Zion Drive and Lakepointe Drive Tuesday morning, after brought down four utility poles during Monday’s storm.
While there were no reports of injuries, Augenstein called the damage to a nearby neighborhood “jaw dropping.” He said the smell of sap filled the air off Hillard Lake Road, after dozens of evergreen trees were sheared in the storm. The area was busy with utility workers, insurance adjusters, tree crews and .
National Weather Service Meteorologist Kevin Witt told ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½ a meteorologist is surveying the Burke area to determine whether a tornado or straight-line winds caused the damage. He said wind speeds of up to 68 mph were reported — near the threshold for a low-end tornado, which can produce winds of about 70 to 75 mph.
“Straight-line winds can also produce some similar damage as a tornado,” Witt said. “That’s why we go out and survey these areas — to see if straight-line winds pushed trees down … or if a tornado actually caused them to fall and spiral downward.”
Witt said the National Weather Service is still gathering reports from Southern Maryland and has not yet decided whether to send a survey team to Waldorf, Maryland, where there were also reports of storm-related damage.
Editor’s note: ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½â€™s Neal Augenstein contributed to this report from Burke, Virginia.
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