Severe Storms Likely To Pound Reston Friday: Report

UPDATE 1:59 p.m.: The severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for our area.

UPDATE 1:42 p.m.: A severe thunderstorm watch is likely on the way, warns the Capital Weather Gang in a new detailed forecast. "We’re already seeing a severe storm develop northwest of Fredericksburg and the National Weather Service indicates there’s an 80 percent chance a severe thunderstorm watch will be issued for the region."

RESTON, VA -- A new forecast suggests that Reston could get hammered by some "strong and severe storms" in the late afternoon and into the evening on Friday.

The Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang says that the storm raises new concerns of flash flooding plus falling trees due to the soggy and unstable ground. There's also the threat of lightning, large hail, and powerful wind gusts.

"The siege of moist air, torrential rain and flooding is about to come to something of a pause in time for the weekend," they write. "But it does so with a grand finale of sorts, from strong to severe showers and thunderstorms ahead of an approaching cold front on Friday."

(For more news and information like this, subscribe to the Reston Patch for free. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app; download the free Patch Android app here. Don’t forget to like us on Facebook!)

The worst of it should be between 4-10 p.m. on Friday. It will be sunny through the morning for the most part, but you'll notice clouds start building in the afternoon.

So what about the weekend? It certainly looks better than this past week has been. Saturday may see a shower or two, but for the most part it should be sunny with fairly low humidity and temperatures in the mid-80s. On Sunday, it may be a little cloudy but the risk of rain is pretty low. It will feel even better than Saturday with slightly lower temperatures and even lower humidity.

So take heart: after these storms roll through, you'll finally get a chance to enjoy some time outside.

(Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)