Most of Maryland, including Baltimore and the Washington suburbs, is under a severe thunderstorm watch until 8 p.m. tonight, Oct. 16. The National Weather Service’s Baltimore/Washington office issued the watch at 1:25 p.m. as a strong cold front moves in. Storms are expected between roughly 4 and 8 p.m., right during the evening commute, with damaging wind gusts, brief downpours and the chance of an isolated tornado.
The storms are only half the story. Behind that front, temperatures are set to crash, and by Saturday night parts of western Maryland could drop below freezing.
When will the Maryland storms hit?
WBAL meteorologists expect a fast-moving line of storms between about 4 and 8 p.m., with the Baltimore metro in its path during rush hour. The Storm Prediction Center has much of the region at a slight risk, level 2 of 5, driven mainly by the threat of damaging wind. Showers linger tonight before clearing early Saturday.
How dangerous will the Maryland storms be?
Wind is the main threat. The weather service says gusts up to 70 mph are likely in any storm that forms, along with hail up to a half inch. Forecasters say they can’t rule out a brief, isolated tornado east of Interstate 270.
Northeast Maryland near Aberdeen faces the highest odds. The Baltimore Banner reports that National Weather Service outlooks put that area at a 30% to 44% chance of severe wind and a 2% tornado risk, compared with 15% to 29% for severe wind around Baltimore and the capital region. The watch also covers parts of the Chesapeake Bay and Baltimore Harbor, so boaters should get off the water before storms arrive.
How cold will it get after the storms?
Brace for whiplash. Today could reach 85 degrees, while Saturday’s high is forecast near 57. That’s a drop of nearly 30 degrees in a day, according to The Banner…