Another derecho? Storms should arrive after midnight

Our area could be in for intense storms overnight as an organized area of thunderstorms moves our way from the Great Lakes.

According to the National Weather Service, an isolated severe thunderstorm with damaging winds and large hail is possible this afternoon and evening, mainly from the Fredericksburg area to southern Maryland. Then, a line of thunderstorms with locally damaging winds may approach the area late tonight.

Then, overnight a line of thunderstorms with locally damaging winds may continue across the area Tuesday morning. Isolated instances of flash flooding are also possible during this time.

Here’s the breakdown — The first part of tonight should be dry, but eyes will be on potential MCS activity, or Mesoscale Convective System — a complex of thunderstorms that becomes organized on a scale more significant than the individual thunderstorms and typically persists for several hours — in the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, states the Weather Service.

There`s still a broad potential that showers and storms could arrive in the Appalachian Mountains as soon as after midnight or not until after sunrise Tuesday.

On June 29, 2012, a derecho pummeled our region (look back on our coverage) after traveling across Ohio and West Virginia. A wall of wind, the storm downed trees and caused power and water outages in our area comparable to the effects of a hurricane. Local governments opened emergency shelters as crews worked around the clock for multiple days to restore services.

Unlike when the derecho hit in 2012, temperatures in our area are not forecast to feel like the triple digits as they did back then. However, the mercury will climb into the mid-90s today.

However, excessive heat warnings are posted in Ohio and West Virginia ahead of the storm system headed our way.

Here’s the forecast:

Today

Isolated showers before noon, then isolated showers and thunderstorms after 2 pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 91. Calm wind becoming southeast around five mph in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 20%.

Tonight

Isolated showers and thunderstorms before 11 pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 71. Light and variable wind. The chance of precipitation is 20%.

Tuesday

A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 88. North wind 5 to 8 mph. The possibility of precipitation is 50%.

Tuesday Night

Partly cloudy, with a low around 69. Northeast wind around six mph, becoming calm in the evening. A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. The possibility of precipitation is 20%.

Wednesday

A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 90. Calm wind becoming southeast around five mph in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 20%.Another derecho? Storms should to arrive after midnight