A Flood Watch takes effect early Wednesday for the Washington D.C. metro area and the I-95 corridor down to Fredericksburg, as a slow-moving storm system brings heavy rain and a flash flooding risk to a wide swath of the Mid-Atlantic and Carolinas.
Multiple National Weather Service offices issued hazardous weather outlooks Tuesday, warning of scattered to numerous storms capable of dropping rain at rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour.
D.C. Metro and I-95 Corridor: Flood Watch Begins Wednesday
The NWS Baltimore/Washington office has a Flood Watch in effect from 4 AM Wednesday until 11 AM Wednesday.
It covers the District of Columbia, Cecil, Southern Baltimore, Prince George’s, Anne Arundel, Charles, St. Mary’s and Calvert counties in Maryland, plus Fairfax, Arlington, Stafford, Spotsylvania, King George and Prince William counties in Virginia.
Beyond Wednesday, scattered thunderstorms are possible Thursday through Saturday, mainly in the afternoon and evening. Damaging wind gusts and isolated flash flooding are both possible during that stretch.
Central Virginia and the Blue Ridge: Urban Flooding Risk Tonight
The same office also covers Frederick, Carroll, Loudoun, Fauquier, Culpeper and the Shenandoah Valley, along with the Virginia Blue Ridge and parts of eastern West Virginia.
Slow-moving showers and storms could bring locally heavy rain this afternoon into tonight, with a few instances of flash flooding possible, especially in urban areas.
Southwest Virginia and Northwest North Carolina: Storms Build Each Afternoon
Further south and west, the NWS Blacksburg office is tracking localized heavy rain and isolated flash flooding potential today and tonight across the New River Valley, Roanoke Valley and northwest North Carolina foothills.
Thunderstorms developing each afternoon and evening through the week could keep the flash flooding threat alive into the weekend.
Coastal Virginia and Maryland: Moderate Rip Current Risk
The NWS Wakefield office is warning of scattered to numerous showers and storms today and tonight across a broad stretch of southeast Virginia, southern Maryland and northeast North Carolina, with heavy rainfall the main concern.
A moderate risk of rip currents is also in effect through this evening for Maryland’s ocean beaches and Virginia’s Eastern Shore, including Accomack and Northampton counties.
Eastern North Carolina: Flash Flooding Threat Builds on a Soggy Week
The NWS Newport/Morehead City office says multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms will move through the coastal counties of eastern North Carolina through Wednesday.
Slow-moving, “training” storms — repeated cells tracking over the same area — raise the flash flooding risk, especially where heavy rain has already fallen over the past week. A moderate rip current risk is also posted for the Northern Outer Banks until 8 PM.
Central North Carolina: Rain Rates Up to 2 Inches an Hour
In the Triangle and Piedmont, the NWS Raleigh office says today’s storms could produce rain rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour, enough to cause localized flooding.
Slow-moving storms may bring another round of isolated flooding Wednesday before the threat eases by the weekend.
What Residents Should Do
Never drive through a flooded roadway — it takes only a foot or two of moving water to sweep a car away.
Beachgoers should heed posted rip current flags and swim near a lifeguard. Storm spotter activation may be needed later in the week as thunderstorm chances continue.
