Major tree damage seen in Burke from Monday evening storms

A severe thunderstorm charged through central and southern Fairfax County Monday, unleashing damaging winds and hail. The fierce winds toppled trees and wires and cut power to thousands.

In Burke, where damage was most severe, high winds also sheared off home siding and shingles. And the social media video below shows the extent of the tree damage in one area (warning: strong language):

Many readers have asked if a tornado was responsible for the damage but initial indications are that it was caused by straight line winds, initiated by thunderstorm downbursts – or intense gusts that crashed into the ground from high altitudes.

A preliminary analysis of the radar imagery from the storm "did not show rotation, but straight line wind pattern," the National Weather Service wrote in a Slack message.

Here are some photos of the damage:

@capitalweather.com my neighborhood in Fairfax is completely destroyed. Almost all of the trees are down. Multiple neighbors spotted a tornado.

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— Mara Surridge (@marasurridge.bsky.social) June 22, 2026 at 6:03 PM