Baltimore and Washington, DC, metro areas are bracing for a mix of weather conditions. According to the National Weather Service, a frontal system slated to hit the region this afternoon could bring scattered showers and thunderstorms into the evening. The weather shift, expected to stall through Sunday, precedes a stronger front arriving from the Great Lakes in the upcoming week, with consistent high pressure to follow.
The immediate forecast includes the potential for localized gusty or damaging winds and hail, especially west of US-15, as storms could organize into small clusters or lines later in the day, the National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC warns, also noting a "risk for localized gusty/damaging winds and hail," while severe weather may remain more isolated due to modest lapse rates and shear the current weather scenario, painted by the experts, paints an unsettled picture, with today’s highs expected in the low to mid-80s (70s in the mountains), dipping into the upper 50s to mid 60s overnight.
Looking ahead to Sunday through Monday, a backdoor front stalling over the region indicates varying conditions, with warmer, sunnier weather to the southwest and cooler, potentially drizzly climates northeast of the boundary. Cool, cloudy, and perhaps drizzly conditions are expected in onshore flow, signaling a low diurnal temperature shift and sustained cloudy cover through Monday, with rain chances increasing toward the start of the week from the west.
Meanwhile, mariners should anticipate light winds shifting from south/southeast to east/northeast, possibly choppy due to a few storms and a backdoor front passage. However, winds are expected to remain gentle across the waters. Mariners should remain vigilant for short periods of potentially stricter advisory conditions following the frontal transition.
Tidal waters around the Chesapeake Bay and Lower Tidal Potomac are under coastal flood advisories. A persistent onshore flow is anticipated to cause minor to moderate flooding, particularly affecting sensitive locations. A coastal Flood Warning has been issued for Annapolis, and close monitoring is necessary for Washington DC's SW Waterfront due to rising water levels forecast through the weekend into the upcoming week.
