Watch for hail and damaging winds.
The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch until 9 p.m. tonight for Prince William County and neighboring counties. The main risks in this storm are the possible hail and damaging winds, the NWS stated. Woodbridge should be clear of storms by 3 a.m. tomorrow morning, with winds dying down to 6 miles per hour. The thunderstorms passing through the Washington, D.C., area are part of a larger group of storms that will primarily affect New York City and southern New England. The thunderstorms will be caused by high winds resulting from the cold front coming south and meeting the heat wave currently baking the mid-Atlantic region.
Warm spring temperatures have been linked with an uptick in severe weather patterns such as tornadoes, thunderstorms, and hail.
The mild spring weather in Northern Virginia and throughout much of the United States could bring even more severe weather, Accuweather reports. Temperatures are expected to stay in the 70s this week in the Woodbridge area, with scattered thunderstorms this afternoon. The last year with such widespread warm temperatures was 2004, a year that also boasted a record 1817 tornadoes striking the U.S. In 2011, almost 1700 tornadoes hit the U.S., making it the fourth deadliest year for tornadoes. Two weeks ago, tornadoes struck the Midwest and South with deadly force. In the near future, forecasters expect storms to hit the Midwest, Texas, and Oklahoma. To stay updated on severe weather forecasts, visit the National Weather Service website. For …
