STORM ALERT: Tornado Watch issued for DMV ahead of strong storm and heavy rain potential

WASHINGTON (7News) — The First Alert Weather Team is on a Storm Alert Sunday with our next weather maker approaching. A Tornado Watch is in effect for the entire DMV until 10 pm.

This means conditions are favorable for strong to severe storms to develop and produce damaging winds, hail and tornadoes.

Along with the severe weather threat, flash flooding is also possible where the heaviest rain develops after saturated soils from a very wet May. A flood watch has been extended to include the Northern Virginia suburbs until 10 pm tonight.

TIMING: The system poses a risk of stronger thunderstorms and flooding rain during the afternoon and evening hours. Outside of any rain and storms, it will be cloudy with very high humidity and below-average temperatures in the 70s.

The Weather Prediction Center has our entire area under a Slight Risk (2 out of 4) for excessive rainfall, which could pose a threat for flash flooding.

The Storm Prediction Center rates much of our area at a Slight Risk (2 out of 5) for strong to severe storms capable of producing damaging wind gusts, small hail, and an isolated tornado.

While the tornado threat is low, it is elevated for our area. The Storm Prediction Center has much of the area highlighted in the Tornado Risk. The highest probability of rotation in storms is just south of D.C. and basically along and south of Rt. 50 and I-66.

DOWNLOAD THE FIRST ALERT WEATHER APP

Additionally, the Weather Prediction Center has our entire area under a Slight Risk (2 out of 4) for flash flooding. Humidity levels are very high, so rainfall rates of one to two inches an hour are possible.

It won't rain consistently all day long; however, rounds of rain are expected throughout the day, so keep the umbrella on hand. Our simulated clouds and radar product has a cluster of thunderstorms over the D.C. Metro area around 7:30 p.m.

Our soils are very saturated after we doubled our monthly average rainfall for May, nearly eliminating the year-long drought we had leading into the beginning of the month.

Rain and storm chances will taper off by midnight with clouds hanging around for the Monday morning commute.