Arlington County and the D.C. region is under a tornado watch until 9:00 tonight.
Forecasters say that severe thunderstorms are likely between 4:00 and 8:00 p.m. Tornadoes are possible as part of the expected severe weather outbreak.
From the National Weather Service:
… SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING ALONG WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR ISOLATED TORNADOES…
WITH TEMPERATURES REACHING THE MID-TO-UPPER 80S WITHIN AND SOUTH OF THE WASHINGTON DC METROPOLITAN AREA… THE REGION IS UNDER THE THREAT OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL LIKELY CONTAIN DAMAGING WIND… FREQUENT CLOUD- TO-GROUND LIGHTNING… AND LARGE HAIL. ADDITIONALLY… TORNADOES ARE POSSIBLE IN A FEW OF THE STRONGEST THUNDERSTORMS. THE MOST LIKELY TIME FOR SEVERE WEATHER IS BETWEEN 400 PM AND 800 PM EDT.
THE AREA MOST VULNERABLE FOR SEVERE WEATHER IS NORTH OF INTERSTATE 64 ACROSS VIRGINIA’S NORTH-CENTRAL PIEDMONT AND WEST OF INTERSTATE 95 SOUTH OF THE CITY OF BALTIMORE MARYLAND TO FREDERICKSBURG VIRGINIA. THIS INCLUDES THE GREATER WASHINGTON DC AND BALTIMORE METROPOLITAN AREAS… HAGERSTOWN MARYLAND… THE NORTHERN AND CENTRAL SHENANDOAH VALLEY… AND CHARLOTTESVILLE VIRGINIA.
RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO THIS REGION… ALONG WITH MARINERS ON THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER… SHOULD HAVE AN INCREASED AWARENESS OF THE THREAT OF HAZARDOUS WEATHER THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.
IF A SEVERE WEATHER WARNING IS ISSUED… SEEK SHELTER INDOORS IMMEDIATELY… PREFERABLY IN A BASEMENT OR THE LOWEST LEVEL OF A STURDY BUILDING. IF YOU ARE IN A BOAT… SEEK SAFE HARBOR IMMEDIATELY.