National Weather Service forecasters put Baltimore weather under a severe thunderstorm watch through 5 p.m. for much of the DC area as storms moved southeast from southern Pennsylvania toward northern Maryland. The watch covers the period when damaging wind gusts, heavy rain and lightning could reach the region.
Jeanne Stuart McVey’s Wednesday morning photo at the Tidal Basin captured a stretch of calm before the watch took hold. By mid-morning, a storm complex near State College was diving southeastward, and the watch extended as far south as the Mason-Dixon Line.
DC area through 5 p.m.
The National Weather Service placed the area under a Level 2 out of 5 risk for severe storms both days. Northern Maryland was likely to be affected early in the afternoon, and storms could reach the Beltway area between 1 and 3 p.m. if they extend that far south.
Two windows stood out on the timeline for today: a mid-afternoon round and another closer to evening. A storm was also possible as soon as midday, with the rain expected to end by around 2:50 p.m.
Northern Maryland storm track
The southward reach of the storm complex remains the part that decides who sees the worst of it. If it holds together, the first impacts are aimed at northern Maryland and then the Beltway; if it weakens sooner, the farthest south areas may see less of the line.
The area was in a corridor favorable for clusters of thunderstorms over the next two days, and humidity plus disturbances sweeping in from the northwest could trigger more severe storms Thursday. Late afternoon and evening Thursday appeared to hold the greatest potential.
Thursday afternoon and evening
Temperatures were climbing into the 90s and feeling like 100 to 105 at peak, adding a hot, unstable setup to the watch now in place. DC’s hottest Sept. 1 in 46 years pushed this year’s tally of 90-degree days further above the annual average.
For people in much of the DC area, the practical move is to stay alert through 5 p.m. and watch the mid-afternoon and evening windows most closely. The next round of concern shifts to Thursday, when the atmosphere again looks ready to support storms late in the day.
