Potential Tropical Storm To Bring Rain, Easing NoVA Drought

VIRGINIA — A storm system brewing in the Carolinas is expected to bring rain to parts of Virginia and ease drought conditions, even if it doesn't become a tropical storm. The National Hurricane Center said the center of the storm will move inland over South Carolina Monday.

Most of Northern Virginia and western/southwest counties are under drought conditions, said the latest U.S. Drought Monitor, while the rest of the state is labeled abnormally dry. Parts of coastal Virginia are under normal moisture conditions.

"Little rain has fallen this month and drought is expanding across the region," The Capital Weather Gang at The Washington Post wrote. "But that will change this week as moisture from a tropical rainstorm streams northward. It’s not certain how much rain will fall but what’s clear is that the sun will be in short supply."

Rain is likely to move into Northern Virginia Tuesday, with precipitation likely through Saturday night. The highest odds, so far, of rain are 60 percent during day and into Tuesday night with thunderstorms moving through the DC region, the weather service said.

Hazardous weather conditions extend well to the northeast of the center and are currently moving onshore over the Cape Fear region of North Carolina. A northwestward motion is forecast to continue over land while the weakening low spins down, the NHC said.

"With limited time before it moves inland, the chances of this system becoming a tropical or subtropical cyclone continue to decrease. The intensity guidance shows quick weakening once the low crosses the coastline," NHC forecasters said.

Locally heavy rainfall, minor coastal flooding, high surf and rip currents, and gusty onshore winds will be possible later Monday into Tuesday, said the National Weather Service in Wakefield, Virginia.

There is also a risk of isolated flash and urban flooding across much of the Mid-Atlantic region through Wednesday, the Baltimore-DC office of the NWS said.

The combination of the lingering high in the Northeast and a strengthening low pressure area off the Carolinas will stiffen winds even further and cause seas and surf to build in the stretch of the Atlantic coast from northeastern Florida to the Delmarva Peninsula this week, AccuWeather said.

Here's the latest Northern Virginia forecast from the National Weather Service:

Monday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. East wind around 10 mph.

Monday Night: A chance of showers, mainly after 2am. Cloudy, with a low around 68. Northeast wind around 9 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Tuesday: Showers likely, mainly after 2pm. Cloudy, with a high near 76. East wind 11 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Tuesday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy, with a low around 68. East wind 8 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Wednesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. East wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Wednesday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Thursday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 78. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Thursday Night: A chance of showers before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Friday: A chance of showers after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 78. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Friday Night: A chance of showers before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 75. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 61. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 73.