BREAKING: Severe Storm Watch Until 9PM Friday

The Storm Prediction Center has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for much of Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., eastern West Virginia, and adjacent coastal waters through 9:00 PM Friday evening.

The Storm Prediction Center is expecting clusters of thunderstorms to develop across Virginia and Maryland this afternoon before spreading eastward through the evening hours. The atmosphere is favorable for strong downburst winds, and some storms could become severe with damaging wind gusts of 60-70 mph. While wind is the primary concern, the strongest storms may also produce isolated hail up to 1 inch in diameter.

What Is Driving Today’s Threat?

A cold front approaching from the west is interacting with a hot, humid, and unstable air mass across the Mid-Atlantic. As temperatures climb this afternoon, thunderstorms are expected to develop and organize into clusters capable of producing intense bursts of wind.

Unlike a widespread squall line event, today’s threat appears more scattered in nature. However, any thunderstorm that becomes organized could quickly produce severe weather, especially through the late afternoon and early evening hours.

The Storm Prediction Center notes that the environment is particularly favorable for damaging downbursts, which occur when strong winds high in a thunderstorm crash toward the ground and spread outward.

Main Threats

🌬️ Damaging Winds: Wind gusts of 60-70 mph will be possible. Winds could be strong enough to down trees and large branches. Scattered power outages may occur where the strongest storms develop. This is the primary threat today.

🧊 Large Hail: Isolated hail up to 1 inch in diameter is possible and will be the most likely within the strongest storm cores.

⚡ Frequent Lightning: All thunderstorms will produce dangerous cloud-to-ground lightning.

🌧️ Heavy Downpours: Brief periods of torrential rainfall may reduce visibility and create localized ponding on roadways.

🌪️ Low Tornado Risk: Tornadoes are not the primary concern, but severe thunderstorms can occasionally produce brief spin-ups. Continue monitoring for warnings if storms approach your area.

Timing

⏰ 3 PM – 9:00 PM

The threat will evolve throughout the afternoon and evening:

• Mid Afternoon: Storm development begins across western Virginia, West Virginia, and western Maryland.
• Late Afternoon: Storm clusters strengthen and spread eastward.
• Evening: Greatest threat reaches the I-95 corridor, Southern Maryland, Chesapeake Bay region, and surrounding communities before gradually weakening after sunset.

Residents across Southern Maryland should remain weather aware between 4 PM and 9 PM, when the strongest storms are most likely.

Watch vs. Warning

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms to develop. A Severe Thunderstorm Warning means a severe thunderstorm is occurring or imminent and action should be taken immediately. Remember:

🌮 Taco Watch = The ingredients are on the counter.

🌮 Taco Warning = The taco is ready to eat.

Bottom Line

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect through 9 PM as scattered thunderstorms develop and move east across the Mid-Atlantic. The strongest storms may produce damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph, isolated hail, frequent lightning, and heavy downpours. While not everyone will experience severe weather, any storm that develops this afternoon and evening could quickly become dangerous.

Stay with JB Weather for the latest information on impacts here in Southern Maryland and across the Mid-Atlantic. You can always access my forecasts and updates here on the website, on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram, and on YouTube. JB Weather is the Mid-Atlantic’s Weather Leader, and I am working around the clock to keep you ahead of any storm!