Mid-Atlantic Severe Storm Threat

9 Apr 2021, 2:16 pm

As we monitor the severe thunderstorm threat in the southern United States (read more here) we are still tracking the potential for some strong to severe thunderstorm development through early tonight in the Mid-Atlantic United States.

A new severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for northern North Carolina and southern Virginia through midnight tonight. All threats will be possible with scattered damaging winds up to 70 mph, hail up to 1.5″ in diameter, and a tornado or two possible.

Severe Outlook

The Storm Prediction Center has issued us under a slight (level 2, on scale of 1 to 5) for severe thunderstorms. Surface heating will help with these storms, but ultimately the frontal boundary will provide the lift and shear for isolated thunderstorms. Some of these storms may be rotating supercells which will bring all threats for severe storms possible.

These threats include large hail and damaging winds but we can’t rule out the possibility for a brief tornado in the vicinity highlighted in green below. There is some low level shear along this boundary so will be watching from the Virginia and North Carolina state line.

Forecast

A few thunderstorms have already fired up across the mid-Atlantic region with already a few severe thunderstorm warnings. As we take a look at our forecast models thunderstorms are likely to last after dark and become more stable into the early morning hours of Saturday.

Forecast Rainfall

With storms generally lasting in a narrow window, the threat for flooding right now is not major. Although some isolated pockets near the Roanoke Rapids area may pick up a quick few inches of rainfall through tonight so watch for some road ponding.

For the latest severe weather threat be sure to tune into WeatherNation, we’re streaming 24/7 to keep you safe.

About the author

Alana Cameron

Alana Cameron was born and raised in Canada in the city of Mississauga, just outside of Toronto. Alana is the oldest of 4 siblings, all close in age, and grew up playing outside with them in all types of weather. After graduating high school, Alana moved to study at the University of British Columbia in Kelowna for a year before transferring to Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia where sh... Load Moree completed a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Atmospheric Science. Upon completion, Alana moved back to Toronto where she completed a post-grad degree in Meteorology at York University. After her post-grad, she went on to complete another post-grad in Broadcast Journalism - TV News at Fanshawe College in London, Ontario. During her final year of studies she had the privilege of interning with the best in the business in Canada at The Weather Network. Once she finished her internship, she got the call from small-town Denison, Texas where she accepted a job as an on-air meteorologist at KTEN-TV, right in tornado alley, covering severe weather from Sherman/Denison (North Texas) to Ada (Southern Oklahoma). After the most active tornado season Oklahoma had seen in May 2019 (105 tornadoes!) Alana is excited to join WeatherNation to cover weather all across the nation. If you're interested in following her on social media she can be found @alanacameronwx!