MD Under Severe Thunderstorm Watch, Tornadoes Possible

Updated at 3:55 p.m.

MARYLAND — A severed thunderstorm watch has been issued for much of Maryland until Monday evening as storms move into the state that could bring with them strong winds, hail and isolated tornadoes. Several school systems have canceled afternoon activities because of the hazardous weather risk.

A round of severe storms are expected to begin passing through the region through Monday evening, bringing damaging wind gusts, scattered large hail and isolated tornadoes, according to the latest NWS forecast.

Damaging winds in excess of 60 mph could lead to downed trees and power lines, resulting in outages across the region.

A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 9 p.m. for these counties: Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Harford, Howard, Kent, Montgomery, Prince George's, Queen Anne's, Somerset, St. Marys, Talbot, Wicomico and Worcester.

The watch includes the cities of Aberdeen, Alexandria, Annapolis, Arnold, Aspen Hill, Baltimore, Bel Air, Bethesda, Bowie, California, Camp Springs, Catonsville, Chesapeake Beach, Clinton, College Park, Columbia, Dundalk, Dunkirk, Edgewood, Elkton, Ellicott City, Essex, Fallston,
Gaithersburg, Germantown, Glen Burnie, Greenbelt, Havre De Grace, Joppatowne and Laurel.

"The area of greatest risk will be from Washington, D.C., all the way up into central Pennsylvania and to the north of New York City," AccuWeather Meteorologist Rob Richards said.

The Baltimore and Washington, D.C., metro areas fall within the high risk area where widespread gusts of 60-70 mph are most likely to occur during storms.

School cancellations include:

• Anne Arundel County Public Schools (after-school activities canceled)
• Baltimore County Public Schools (after-school activities canceled)
• Baltimore City Public Schools (all after-school, evening and athletic activities canceled)
• Howard County Public Schools (early dismissal — three hours early)

Warm, humid air has primed the atmosphere to produce dangerous severe thunderstorms across portions of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, AccuWeather forecasters say.

Temperatures in the D.C. region on Monday afternoon are expected to hit a high of 79 degrees, with wind gusts of up to 15 mph and an 85 percent chance of precipitation, according to AccuWeather forecast.

On Monday morning, the National Weather Service issued a hazardous weather outlook for the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay, Tidal Potomac River, and I-95 corridor through central Maryland, northern Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

Scattered to numerous severe thunderstorms are expected Monday afternoon and early evening, the Weather Service said. The best chance for severe storms will be between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. An isolated instance of flooding is also possible.

Communities in the hazardous weather look include: Anne Arundel, Cecil, Carroll, Baltimore, Charles, Calvert, Montgomery, Howard, Harford, Prince George's, and St. Marys counties.

Here's the latest NWS weather forecast for Maryland:

Monday afternoon: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds. High near 81. Southwest wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Monday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming clear, with a low around 57. Northwest wind 8 to 13 mph becoming light west after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 23 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 78. West wind 7 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 53. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 74. Northwest wind around 6 mph.

Wednesday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Thursday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 85.