Weather

Tornado Warning In NoVa, Derecho Possible

The National Weather Service is warning that strong thunderstorms could move into the D.C. area late afternoon and early evening on Monday.

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UPDATE 6:04 p.m.: Residents of Northern Virginia would be wise to take shelter now. A tornado warning has been issued for the area around Ashburn, Leesburg, Ashton, Oakton, Reston, and Sterling.

A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for the Northern Virginia and D.C. area. Experts are saying that this is a powerful storm that could bring damaging winds of up to 70 miles per hour even if there is no tornado. Pay close attention to this storm as it moves east closer to D.C.

Find shelter and charge your phones in case of power outages. If anything is outside, immediately move it inside.

Find out what's happening in Restonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

There are numerous reports of trees down and large hail in the northern Shenandoah Valley through the eastern West Virginia panhandle, says the National Weather Service. These storms are heading east to metropolitan Washington DC. Seek shelter before storms arrive, the agency says.

UPDATE 4:48 p.m.: Watch out. It's coming.

Find out what's happening in Restonfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

UPDATE 1:44 p.m.: A derecho is possible this afternoon, according to the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center. In 2012, a derecho slammed D.C. and caused severe damage throughout the region, knocking out power in some areas for days.

Original story:

Get ready to seek shelter if you intend to be out and about late this afternoon in the Northern Virginia area, because the National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch.

The watch will be in effect until 9 p.m. NWS warns that "a couple tornadoes" are possible as well as isolated hail up to the size of a ping pong ball. Gusts of up to 75 miles per hour are "likely."

The watch covers a wide area, including all of Northern Virginia and D.C., all of Maryland west of the Chesapeake Bay, Southwest Pennsylvania, the northern half of West Virginia, and the southeast corner of Ohio.

"The Storm Prediction Center has upgraded much of the area to an enhanced risk for severe weather today," NWS tweeted earlier today. "Damaging winds will be the primary threat with these storms moving in this afternoon."

We could see more storms later this week. NWS says isolated severe thunderstorms with damaging wind gusts and large hail are a risk Tuesday afternoon and evening, and heavy rains Thursday night and Friday may result in some flooding.

Keep in mind that a severe thunderstorm watch means that there is potential for severe thunderstorms, whereas a severe thunderstorm warning means that a storm has developed and will strike soon.

NWS offers the following tips for staying safe during a severe thunderstorm:

  • The best defense against thunderstorms is to stay inside a sturdy building or shelter that can protect you from deadly lightning, large hail, damaging winds, flooding rain and tornadoes. Fortunately, thunderstorms typically do not last very long and will most often pass by your location in less than one hour.
  • Once in a shelter, stay away from windows and avoid electrical equipment and plumbing. Remember to bring pets inside. If there is time, secure loose objects outside as these objects often become dangerous flying debris in high winds.
  • Postpone outdoor activities until the storms have passed.
  • If caught outside, take shelter in a sturdy enclosed building or hard top automobile immediately. Avoid open spaces, isolated objects, high ground and metallic objects.
  • Get out of boats and away from bodies of water. Remember, if you can hear thunder, you are close enough to the storm to be struck by lightning.

Image via National Weather Service

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