DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA — The National Weather Service issued Tornado Watch 605 on August 20, 2026. The watch is valid until 10:00 PM EDT on August 20, 2026.

Tornado Watch 605 replaces a portion of Severe Thunderstorm Watch 604. The alert covers the District of Columbia and extends into multiple jurisdictions across Maryland and Virginia.

Timeline

Also on August 20, 2026, Tornado Watch 605 was defined to include Arlington, the City of Alexandria, the City of Fairfax, the City of Falls Church, the City of Manassas, the City of Manassas Park, Fairfax County, Prince William County, and Stafford County in Virginia. The watch includes Anne Arundel, Howard, Montgomery, and Prince Georges counties in Maryland. It includes Baltimore County and Baltimore City in Maryland.

The watch includes Calvert, Charles, and St. Marys counties in Maryland. It includes the City of Fredericksburg and King George County in Virginia.

What's New

FEMA has issued 3 federal disaster declarations for tornado incidents in Maryland since the program began. The City of Manassas Park is an independent city in Virginia, United States. The most recent declaration was for a tornado incident beginning on April 28, 2002, identified as disaster 1409.

How Sources Differ

Sources differ on the classification of the City of Manassas Park in Virginia. The National Weather Service Tornado Watch 605 lists the City of Manassas Park among the included Virginia jurisdictions alongside Arlington, the City of Alexandria, the City of Fairfax, the City of Falls Church, the City of Manassas, Fairfax County, Prince William County, and Stafford County. Wikidata describes the City of Manassas Park as an independent city in Virginia, United States.

Why It Matters

The issuance of Tornado Watch 605 affects a broad geographic area including the nation's capital and surrounding communities in two states. Federal records indicate that FEMA has issued three federal disaster declarations for tornado incidents in Maryland since the program began, with the most recent dating back to 2002.