Tornado Watch Alert: Track the Severe Storms Threatening Your Area Tonight

A Tornado Watch is now in effect until 10:00 p.m. EDT for the District of Columbia, Delaware, central and eastern Maryland, central and southern New Jersey, southeast Pennsylvania and northern Virginia, as a volatile line of severe thunderstorms tracks east across the Mid-Atlantic. Issued by NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center at 2:55 p.m., Watch #605 highlights the potential for a couple of tornadoes, wind gusts up to 75 mph and hail up to 1.5 inches in diameter. Why the risk is elevated • A potent cold front is colliding with hot, humid air pooled along the I-95 corridor, creating extreme wind shear and instability. • Supercells forming ahead of the main squall line may rotate, increasing tornado potential before storms merge into a fast-moving bow echo capable of widespread damaging winds. • Storm motion around 25 mph means threats can arrive with little warning, especially from late afternoon commuter hours through mid-evening. Communities most at risk Washington, D.C.; Baltimore; Wilmington; Dover; Philadelphia’s western and southern suburbs; Trenton; Camden; Alexandria; Fredericksburg; and coastal zones along Delaware Bay and the Chesapeake are all within the 70-mile-wide watch corridor. Boaters from Little Egg Inlet, NJ, southward to the lower Chesapeake should remain in port, as gale-force bursts are possible on local waters. What a Tornado Watch means A watch signals that atmospheric conditions are favorable for tornado development. It is not a guarantee a tornado will occur, but it is a call to stay alert and be ready to act if a Tornado Warning is issued. Immediate safety steps • Enable Wireless Emergency Alerts and local weather app notifications. • Identify your nearest sturdy shelter—preferably a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows. • Keep a battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio within reach. • Secure loose outdoor items; high winds ahead of storms can arrive before the rain. • Review your family emergency plan and ensure pets can be brought inside quickly. Travel and power concerns Scattered power outages and tree damage are likely along the I-95, I-76 and U.S. Route 50 corridors. Flights into and out of DCA, BWI, PHL and EWR may experience ground stops or delays. Drivers should prepare for sudden low visibility, ponding on roads and traffic signal failures during evening commutes. Stay informed Monitor real-time radar and the latest updates from the National Weather Service offices in Sterling, Mount Holly and Wakefield, and continue to check the Storm Prediction Center’s watch status page for possible extensions, cancellations or warning upgrades.