Storms To Bring Flash Flooding Risk Over Rainy MD Weekend

MARYLAND — Thunderstorms may cause flash flooding this weekend in Maryland, and damaging winds are also in the forecast. It will feel like 100 degrees in parts of the Baltimore-DC region, prompting a flash flood watch to be issued for DC and parts of Maryland by the National Weather Service.

Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible in: the District of Columbia, plus Anne Arundel, Carroll, Howard, Montgomery, Charles, Frederick, Baltimore, Harford, Prince George's and Baltimore counties. A flash flood watch is in effect until 8 p.m.

"A couple rounds of slow-moving showers and thunderstorms are likely this afternoon into this evening," the National Weather Service said. "A few inches of rain is possible in a short amount of time as a result, and may cause rapid rises of water on creeks, streams, urban and poor drainage areas, and in other flood-prone locations."

While heat and humidity will produce showers Friday through Sunday, the strongest storms are likely at the end of the weekend, the agency said.

"Expect high temps in the upper 80s & low 90s with heat indices making it feel like 95-100 degrees. Scattered to numerous showers & t-storms are likely this afternoon, some of which could be locally gusty with isolated instances of flooding between 1-7pm," the National Weather Service Baltimore-DC office tweeted Friday morning.

Much of the spotty thunderstorm activity along the East Coast this weekend will tend to focus from the Appalachians to just north and west of Interstate 95 through Friday afternoon, AccuWeather said. "An exception may be in eastern Virginia and central Maryland, where storms may erupt locally and potentially drench Washington, D.C., and Baltimore on Friday."

As this disturbance turns northeastward Sunday morning, it "has the potential to be a very efficient producer of heavy rain due to the high amounts of moisture available in eastern portions of Kentucky and Tennessee, as well as West Virginia and the western portions of North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland," AccuWeather predicts.

Rain chances start at 20 percent Friday, increase to 60 percent Friday night and will peak at 80 percent most of Sunday, the NWS said.

Here's the weekend forecast for Maryland from the National Weather Service:

Friday: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 3pm. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. Increasing clouds, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming southeast around 6 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 11pm. Patchy fog between 3am and 5am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 76. South wind around 6 mph becoming calm after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Saturday: A slight chance of showers, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 11am. Patchy fog before 9am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 89. Light and variable wind becoming southeast around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. South wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Sunday: Showers likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 11am. High near 85. Southeast wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Sunday Night: Showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 11pm and 2am, then a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2am. Low around 72. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Monday: A chance of showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 87. Chance of precipitation is 30%.