In the immediate area, the rain hasn’t been too heavy up to this point but radar shows downpours poised to track across the Beltway area over the next hour. Take it slow.
5:15 p.m. — The tornado warning described below has been discontinued as rotation has weakened.
5:05 p.m. — Tornado warning until 5:15 p.m. for extreme eastern Prince William, southeast Fairfax and northwest Charles County.
Radar indicates some rotation about 5 miles east of Dumfries headed east at 15 mph. Seek shelter if in the path.
3:10 p.m. — Widespread storms west and southwest of the District — eyeing Beltway area arrival between 4 and 5 p.m.
Storms with heavy rain and lightning aren’t far from the immediate metro region — stretching from around Ashburn through Warrenton down to Culpeper in Virginia. This activity is headed east and northeast and should reach the Beltway between 4 and 5 p.m. There aren’t currently any warnings with this activity but the National Weather Service issued a special bulletin cautioning rainfall rates could reach 2 inches per hour in any storms that form, triggering areas of flooding. We’ll update as storms get closer or any warnings are issued.
2:56 p.m. — Tornado warning for Culpeper and Fauquier counties discontinued as rotation weakened.
2:45 p.m. — Tornado warning for eastern Culpeper and southwest Fauquier County until 3 p.m.
East of Culpeper, radar showed rotation in a storm headed east along or just south of Route 15 at 15 mph, toward Remington in Fauquier County. The National Weather Service had a tornado warning in effect over this zone until 3 p.m. Seek shelter in an interior room of the lowest level of a strong building if you are in the path of one.
Original article from 2:30 p.m.
Muggy conditions have primed us for the potential for a few heavy showers and storms this afternoon and evening. A persistent storm or two could lead to some localized flooding, given rainfall rates of up to 1 to 3 inches per hour. There’s also a bit of a severe storm risk, with the potential for a few damaging wind gusts or even a quick tornado, especially south. Once we get through this mess, plan on increasing weather bliss.
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Through tonight: Scattered showers and storms are a risk through the evening. While many spots don’t see much, a few could pick up several inches of rain in a short period, perhaps leading to a bit of flooding. Remember to “turn around, don’t drown” if you come across flooded roadways. Storms should tend to taper off within a few hours after sunset, with a few more showers possible overnight. Temperatures range across the 60s as cooler and drier air begins to filter in late.
View the current weather at The Washington Post.
Tomorrow (Tuesday): Nicer weather starts moving into town. You’ll notice a considerable drop in humidity by morning. Sunshine may prove a bit self-defeating, with abundant cold air aloft leading to some more cloud development. We should at least see partial sunshine, though. High temperatures are near 80. Winds are from the west around 5 to 10 mph.
See Jason Samenow’s forecast through the weekend. And if you haven’t already, join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. For related traffic news, check out Gridlock.
Pollen update: The last 24-hour count for pollen was washed out by rain Sunday.
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