Residents in and around Baltimore should brace themselves for a weekend of unpredictable weather, as the area will experience a mix of thunderstorms, potential flooding, and a slight cooling trend. The forecast for Saturday indicates an increase in shower and thunderstorm activity this afternoon and evening, driven by an upper-level low that's losing steam but still has enough power to disrupt the skies overhead, according to the National Weather Service.
Despite some cloud cover which might offer a slight reprieve, it's still going to be pretty uncomfortable out there with high humidity levels sticking around, temperatures will be cooler than Friday's intense heat but won't exactly be sweater weather either, the upper 80s to low 90s isn't exactly a cold snap, the brief intrusion of high pressure expected Monday from the central Appalachians should offer a little breather before another front comes knocking midweek, that's when things could get interesting with Tropical Depression Four projected to skim along the Mid-Atlantic coast.
There's a Flood Watch in place for parts of the Baltimore area already hammered by Friday's rainfall, with a window between 4-9 pm identified as the peak period for potential urban flooding, said the National Weather Service, and rain rates could hit 1 to 2 inches per hour, with overall accumulations between 0.75-1.50 inches, though some places could see even more, 2-4 inches isn't out of the question.
For aviation, the forecast isn't any more optimistic, suggesting multiple rounds of thunderstorms near the metro areas could significantly disrupt flights, periods of sub-VFR are likely from around 19Z through 02Z, the forecast reads, gusty S/SW winds are also expected this afternoon, and evening, though the sticky air mass may keep the poor flying conditions going overnight.
Mariners aren't left out of nature's party either, the marine forecast advises wind gusts pinging the 20 to 25 kt mark, with Small Craft Advisories in effect over various zones, not to mention the showers and thunderstorms that could be particularly nasty for those at sea.
