Baltimore residents should brace for severe weather, as the National Weather Service has forecasted a strong cold front moving through the region, potentially bringing heavy rain and strong thunderstorms later today. In an early morning update, the National Weather Service pointed out the likelihood of heightened winds and precipitation, including a two-phase series of storms, with severe threat potential along and west of I-95.
The first wave of severe weather is expected to hit somewhere between 10 AM and 2 PM in areas around the Alleghenies and I-81 corridor, extending east of the Blue Ridge throughout the early afternoon. Wind advisories have been placed for various regions, including parts of Maryland and West Virginia, until the early afternoon, for potential gusts ranging from 40 to 50 mph in some sections. Despite the possible airborne perils, forecasters are hopeful the rains will mitigate any significant fire weather risk, particularly in dry areas.
Following the storms, brief high pressure is predicted to usher in a calmer stretch on Tuesday and Wednesday. Still, another cold front is predicted to push through on Thursday, bringing cooler temperatures and more precipitation. As the National Weather Service reported, Baltimore is in for a bit of a weather rollercoaster, with moderate daytime temperatures peaking in the upper 60s and dipping as low as the 40s overnight early in the week before the next front hits.
On the marine side, sailors beware: with southerly winds cranking up throughout the day, local waters could become rough. While a gale warning has been skirted, frequent gusts up to 25-30 knots are predicted, and boaters should expect the possibility of stronger gusts amid thunderstorms. As the scenario unfolds, the Chesapeake Bay and tidal Potomac River will likely see elevated tides, prompting minor flooding advisories for Annapolis, Havre de Grace, and the DC SW Waterfront. The situation should start turning the corner late tonight into Monday as the cold front transitions through the region, leading to offshore winds and reduced tidal anomalies.
Air traffic may also be disturbed by the stormy forecast, with the likelihood of some MVFR CIGs during the early storms and stronger gusts potentially reaching the 35-40 knot mark during the severest parts of the weather event. Pilots and travelers should be prepped for turbulence this Sunday as the storms cross with the region's flight routes. However, by the time we hit Tuesday, conditions will return to the typical VFR status quo, per insights from the National Weather Service.
