Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued For 12 MD Counties, Baltimore

MARYLAND — Thursday evening could be rough across half of Maryland with quarter-size hail, heavy lightning and 65 mph winds possible.

A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until midnight for 12 Maryland counties: Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, Prince George's and Washington counties, plus the city of Baltimore.

Cities in the watch area include: Aberdeen, Annapolis, Arnold, Bel Air, Bethesda, Bowie, Camp Springs, Catonsville, College Park, Columbia, Dundalk, Edgewood, Eldersburg, Elkton, Ellicott City, Essex, Frederick, Gaithersburg, Germantown, Glen Burnie, Greenbelt, Hagerstown, Havre De Grace, Joppatowne, Laurel, Odenton, Pikesville, Rockville, Severn, Severna Park, Silver Spring, Suitland-Silver Hill, Towson and Westminster.

Storms with up to 65 mph wind gusts and possible hail will move across the Baltimore region, the National Weather Service said. There is also a tornado risk, prompting the service to issue a hazardous weather outlook for parts of Maryland.

Isolated showers and storms will become more numerous into this evening. Some may become severe with damaging wind gusts, large hail, or even an isolated tornado. Stay weather aware, the weather service said.

Storms will be at peak intensity across parts of New York, central and eastern Pennsylvania and northern portions of Maryland and Virginia Thursday evening, AccuWeather said.

"People in these areas should be prepared for rapidly changing weather conditions where fast-moving and strengthening storms can bring frequent lightning strikes, damaging winds, large hail and flash flooding," AccuWeather meteorologists say.

Here's the latest Maryland forecast:

Thursday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 5pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72. South wind 5 to 8 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 94. West wind 5 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 65. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 77. Northwest wind 11 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.

Saturday Night: Clear, with a low around 56.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 80.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 58.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 82.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65.