'Intense' Storms Possible In Northern VA This Weekend

VIRGINIA — A sprawling storm system could bring severe weather — including heavy rain, thunderstorms and high winds — to the Washington, D.C., region this weekend.

The cross-country storm, which is moving in from the west, is expected to arrive to the East Coast on Sunday. The system is expected to trigger severe weather for several states in the coming days. The Weather Channel reports the storm could have wind gusts of up to 70 mph in the Midwest. A tornado outbreak is possible Saturday in the deep south, according to the Weather Channel.

In the D.C. region, residents can expect windy conditions that could give way to thunderstorms and torrential downpours after 2 p.m. Sunday.

The Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang predicts the heaviest showers and thunderstorms in the midafternoon into evening. "Some storms may be intense," the Post said.

Much of the area could see a half-inch of total rainfall, with some spots seeing up to 1 to 2 inches, The Post said.

“Strong wind gusts and torrential downpours will be the greatest threats from the storms on Sunday as they progress from the I-81 and I-85 corridors to I-95, according to the AccuWeather forecast.

“The combination of both can lead to dangerous conditions on the highways and trigger ground stops and flight cancellations at the major airport hubs from Charlotte to Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New York City,” AccuWeather says.

Here is the latest forecast from the National Weather Service for the Baltimore-Washington region.

Friday Night: Patchy drizzle after 2am. Patchy fog after 4am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. Southeast wind around 8 mph.

Saturday: Patchy drizzle before 11am. Patchy fog before 10am. Otherwise, mostly cloudy, with a high near 66. Southeast wind 8 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers, mainly after 5am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60. South wind 10 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Sunday: Showers likely, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 pm. High near 72. Breezy, with a south wind 20 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 41 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Sunday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 2am, then a chance of showers. Low around 47. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Monday: A chance of showers before 8am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 59. Chance of precipitation is 30%.