Tornado Threat, Flood Watch In NoVA Forecast: Latest Timing

VIRGINIA — Heavy rains, hail and even a tornado are possible on Friday in the greater Washington, D.C. area, including Northern Virginia. The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for most of the region with 5 inches of rainfall possible by the time the clouds clear.

“As a slow-moving frontal system tracks across the area, multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms are possible,” according to the NWS forecast. “A round of thunderstorms with heavy rain will move into the area early this evening, followed by a shift to a slow-moving complex of moderate to heavy rain into the late evening and night.”

The D.C. area will see showers with fog on Friday morning, with heavy rain and a thunderstorm in the afternoon, according to AccuWeather forecast. “Watch for flash flooding, large hail, damaging wind gusts and even a tornado."

Scattered showers are likely to occur throughout the day, with the possibility of a thunderstorm after 5 p.m., according to the NWS forecast.

“An area of total rainfall of 1 to 2 inches is likely, with localized amounts up to 5 inches possible. Thunderstorms may produce rain rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour,” the weather service said.

Friday afternoon, Northern Virginians can expect increasing clouds with a high temperature near 78 and a calm wind from the south of around 6 mph, the weather service says.

With a 60 percent chance of precipitation expected, excessive rainfall is possible across the District and Northern Virginia, according to the flood watch alert. The watch will remain in effect until 6 a.m. on Saturday.

The flood watch includes Washington, D.C. and the following communities in Northern Virginia: Arlington, Falls Church, Alexandria; central and southeast Prince William, Manassas, and Manassas Park; and eastern Loudoun, Fairfax, King George, Northwest Prince William, Spotsylvania and Stafford.

Here is the National Weather Service’s long-range forecast for the Baltimore/Washington area:

• Friday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 2am, then a chance of showers between 2am and 5am. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 57. Northwest wind 7 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.
• Saturday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly after 11am. Mostly sunny, with a high near 72. West wind 13 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 47. West wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
• Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 73. West wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.
• Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 50.
• Monday: Sunny, with a high near 76.
• Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 54.
• Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 83.
• Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 61.
• Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 88.
• Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 67.
• Thursday: A chance of showers. Mostly sunny, with a high near 88. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

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