UPDATE: Thunderstorms Moving East from Loudoun

IMAGE: The map from the National Weather Service shows the area shaded in pink under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch. Area shaded in light green is under a Special Weather Statement (see new announcement below). Map updated by NWS at 5:03 p.m.

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UPDATE 5 p.m.: ...A LINE OF STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WILL AFFECT THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA...PRINCE GEORGES...CENTRAL ANNE ARUNDEL...SOUTH CENTRAL HOWARD...MONTGOMERY...FAIRFAX...PRINCE WILLIAM...ARLINGTON...SOUTHERN LOUDOUN AND NORTHERN FAUQUIER COUNTIES...THE CITY OF FAIRFAX...THE CITY OF MANASSAS...THE CITY OF FALLS CHURCH...THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA AND THE CITY OF MANASSAS PARK...

AT 433 PM EDT...RADAR INDICATED STRONG SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WERE LOCATED ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 6 MILES WEST OF COLUMBIA TO NEAR DULLES INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TO HUME. MOVEMENT WAS EAST AT 45 MPH. WIND GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH ARE POSSIBLE WITH THESE STORMS. STRONG WIND GUSTS MAY ARRIVE WELL AHEAD OF ANY RAINFALL.

LOCATIONS IMPACTED INCLUDE... ARLINGTON...ALEXANDRIA...GERMANTOWN...CENTREVILLE...WALDORF... DALE CITY...ROCKVILLE...BETHESDA...GAITHERSBURG...RESTON...BOWIE... LEESBURG...ANNANDALE...ANNAPOLIS...CLINTON...OLNEY...SPRINGFIELD... COLLEGE PARK...CROFTON AND SOUTH RIDING.

THESE STORMS MAY INTENSIFY...SO BE CERTAIN TO MONITOR LOCAL RADIO STATIONS AND AVAILABLE TELEVISION STATIONS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE.

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The National Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for Northern Virginia Sunday at 3:10 p.m. The Watch is in effect until 10 p.m. Sunday.

The Watch includes Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax City, Fairfax County, Falls Church, Fredericksburg, Loudoun County, Manassas, Manassas Park and Prince William County.

For those in Loudoun County, see a Special Weather Statement issued after 3 p.m. Sunday.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is issued when weather conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms.

The Capital Weather Gang notes that the main storm threat is damaging wind, but that hail and a few tornadoes are possible.

The Gang also reported earlier Sunday: "short-range modeling suggests these storms should reach D.C.’s western suburbs around 4 p.m. and the Beltway by around 5 p.m. – give or take 30 minutes."