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Capital Weather Gang

Severe thunderstorm watch: Scattered afternoon storms could be intense

A few storms could produce damaging winds in addition to heavy rain and lightning

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Updated September 25, 2022 at 2:50 p.m. EDT|Published September 25, 2022 at 6:00 a.m. EDT
4 min

Radar courtesy MyRadar | © OpenStreetMap contributors

2:45 p.m. — Showers and storms from Westminster to Rockville, but not severe at this time

Radar shows heavy showers and storms, with some lightning, from the Montgomery-Howard County line north into Carroll County. This is all quickly pushing east toward Baltimore. To the south, the shower and storm activity thins out, with only some spotty showers near the Beltway.

There’s still some potential for storms to increase around the Beltway and especially to the east and south over the next hour or two. However, there’s nothing particularly threatening on radar at this time.

We will post an update if new severe storm activity develops. Otherwise, this may be our last update in this article.

2:10 p.m. — Intense storms northwest of District pushing east

A line of storms is sweeping across northern Loudoun and western Frederick counties with heavy rain, lightning and the potential for areas of damaging winds. It will arrive in Leesburg and Frederick over the next half hour and also affect parts of northern Montgomery County before 3 p.m. The storms in this zone, which are moving very quickly eastward (at 60 mph), have prompted a severe thunderstorm warning until 2:30 p.m.

Although storms are less numerous farther south, the atmosphere has heated up and is unstable, so we can’t rule out the possibility of quick-forming storms closer to the Beltway region, especially after 3 p.m. or so. We will keep you posted.

12:25 p.m. — Severe thunderstorm watch issued until 7 p.m.

The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for the D.C.-Baltimore area until 7 p.m. Possible hazards include scattered wind gusts up to 70 mph, isolated hail up to ping pong size, and a couple of tornadoes. See below for our detailed forecast.

Original forecast from 5 a.m.

Today’s daily digit

A somewhat subjective rating of the day’s weather, on a scale of 0 to 10.

6/10: Enjoy the partial sun and warm midday before the scattered afternoon showers and potentially some strong storms.

Express forecast

  • Today: Scattered p.m. showers/storms likely. Highs: Upper 70s to low 80s.
  • Tonight: A few evening showers/t’showers possible. Lows: Upper 50s.
  • Tomorrow: Mostly sunny, breezy and a bit cooler. Highs: Mid- to upper 70s.

Forecast in detail

On this first full weekend of fall, we’ll feel a touch summery this afternoon as a cold front brings the potential for showers and storms midafternoon into evening, some of which could produce damaging winds. Otherwise we’re partly to mostly sunny and seasonable tomorrow and Tuesday with highs mainly in the 70s, before a cooler and breezy Wednesday.

Today (Sunday): Perhaps an isolated shower before daybreak. But otherwise it’s a partly sunny and cool start with morning temperatures rising into the 60s. Afternoon highs should reach the upper 70s to low 80s with increasing clouds. And it may feel slightly muggy as we likely see scattered showers and storms move through from west to east after 2 p.m. or so. A few storms could produce damaging winds. Confidence: Medium-High

Tonight: A few lingering showers and thunderstorms remain possible during the evening hours. We should see clearing skies overnight with lows mainly in the upper 50s. Confidence: Medium

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest weather updates. Keep reading for the forecast through midweek…

Tomorrow (Monday): It’s a pleasant start to the week with plenty of sunshine. Daytime highs are a bit cooler than Sunday, in the mid- to upper 70s, which is seasonable for this time of year. Winds are fairly breezy from the west with gusts near 20-30 mph. Confidence: Medium-High

Tomorrow night: You may want to grab a light jacket with evening temperatures dropping through the 60s. The air is crisp and dry overnight (dew points in the 40s) with overnight lows near 50 to the mid-50s under mostly clear skies. Confidence: Medium-High

A look ahead

Tuesday is looking dry and beautiful with partly to mostly sunny skies and highs in the low 70s. A weak cold front moves through late Tuesday into early Wednesday with at most an isolated shower. Tuesday night lows in the upper 40s to low 50s may require an added layer heading out early Wednesday morning, followed by a partly sunny and somewhat breezy Wednesday with highs only in the upper 60s to near 70. Confidence: Medium-High