Winter might be coming to your screens tonight, but for the weather forecast, it’s anything but. The D.C. region will likely see one of this year’s first rounds of strong thunderstorms in the overnight hours on Sunday, with a chance for damaging winds and torrential rainfall.
A large storm system, part of which brought severe weather to millions across the South and Gulf Coast on Saturday, will move east across the Ohio River Valley. Storms are likely moving into the evening, with two rounds of potentially severe weather beginning late this afternoon.
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What to expect:
In a nutshell: Severe weather threat late Sunday afternoon through midnight Monday, with the main threat being heavy rain and damaging wind gusts. Large hail, flash flooding and even an isolated tornado are also possible in the strongest storm cells. Stay tuned to the latest forecast.
“The severe storms will bring heavy blinding rain, strong damaging winds and there is a possibility for hail and even weak isolated tornadoes,” NBC Washington meteorologist Clay Anderson said.
The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center placed most of the Northeastern U.S. under what it categorizes as a “slight” risk for severe thunderstorms on Sunday. While the setup isn’t in place for a widespread outbreak in the D.C. area, weather service forecasters said the atmosphere will destabilize enough through the daylight hours that any storms that do form will pack a significant wind threat.
“After 2 p.m., the environment will be a bit primed for a pop-up thunderstorm that could quickly intensify, so while many of us will have a dry Sunday, let’s prepare for a rogue storm,” NBC Washington meteorologist Somara Theodore said. “The real threat lies after sunset, and confidence is high that as a front drives through our region, it will translate to a line of heavy rain with some embedded thunderstorms.”
Starting late Sunday afternoon, forecasters said thunderstorms will organize into two lines ahead of a cold front approaching from the west. The first will bring heavy rain into the region around sunset.
“The best chance for severe thunderstorms will be near and west of the Blue Ridge Mountains with the first round, since convection will arriving around peak heating across these areas and moving into the metro areas after sunset,” the weather service’s D.C. office said in its Sunday forecast discussion.
A second round of potentially severe storms will follow close behind, expected to arrive overnight. Up to a half of an inch of rain is expected, posing a flood risk for areas vulnerable to heavy downpours.
“A strong cold front is expected to move through the area during this time,” the weather service said. “The main threat will be damaging winds with the line, but an isolated tornado and isolated instances of flooding cannot be ruled out as well.”
2 dead as severe storms ravage South
Powerful storms that killed at least two people continued to move across the South on Sunday after spawning suspected tornadoes that left several people injured and multiple homes and businesses damaged or without power.
In East Texas, the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office said an 8-year-old and a 3-year-old died when strong winds toppled a tree onto the back of their family’s car in Lufkin while it was in motion. Capt. Alton Lenderman said the parents, who were in the front seats, were not injured.
Mississippi State University’s 21,000 students huddled in basements and hallways as a tornado came near the school’s campus in Starkville. University spokesman Sid Salter said some debris, possibly carried by the tornado, was found on campus, but no injuries were reported and no buildings were damaged.
The large storm system also knocked out power to thousands and caused some flash flooding. The weather service said the system is expected to shift to the Ohio Valley and the Southeast on Sunday. More than 140,000 customers remained without power in Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Arkansas late Saturday.
Forecast:
Sunday’s storm system will have mostly cleared the area by dawn on Monday, bringing with it cooler air. Monday will be breezy with a slight chance of lingering showers in the morning.
Sunday: Cloudy, with drizzle and scattered fog. Showers and thunderstorms likely after 3 p.m. Highs in the upper 70s.
Sunday night: Showers and thunderstorms. Some storms may produce strong winds and heavy downpours. Lows in the upper 50s to low 60s.
Monday: Scattered showers before 9 a.m., then gradually clearing. Partly sunny and breezy, with highs in the low 60s.
Tuesday: Sunny. Highs in the upper 60s to low 70s.
Wednesday: Warming. Party sunny, with highs in the upper 70s.
Current conditions:
WTOP’s Reem Nadeem and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Source Article from https://wtop.com/weather-news/2019/04/strong-winds-heavy-rain-possible-in-dc-area-sunday-night/
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