The first Saturday in May may contain a few dangerous thunderstorms across the Eastern Seaboard. Gusty winds, isolated large hail, and heavy rainfall will be on the weather menu this afternoon and evening.
Widespread downpours and groups of thunderstorms will develop in unseasonably warm, humid air this afternoon and evening ahead of a complex weather set up along the Eastern Seaboard. The first robust thunderstorm activity will develop during early to mid-afternoon from the Mid-Atlantic to eastern New York to southern and central New England.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for northern Connecticut, Massachusetts, far southern Maine, southern New Hampshire, southern New York, and southern Vermont. Cities include Newburgh and Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Hartford, Conn., Worcester, Mass., and Concord, N.H.
Severe Thunderstorm Watches are in effect for the District of Columbia, central into northeast Maryland, southeast to east-central Pennsylvania, northern Virginia, the far eastern West Virginia Pandhandle, northern Delaware, and Jersey. Cities include Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Wilmington, Del., Philadelphia, Allentown, and Harrisburg, Pa., and Trenton, N.J.
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for parts of eastern Alabama to northern Georgia, including Montgomery, Ala., and Columbus and Atlanta, Ga.
Other strong to locally intense thunderstorms could spread farther southwest across the Blue Ridge to Carolina Piedmont this afternoon and evening also. All the stronger thunderstorms will dissipate or move offshore into the western Atlantic Ocean during this evening and tonight.
The government has issued a Slight Risk (a 2 out of 5 on the storm severity scale) extending from central South Carolina through southern New England. The two biggest will be isolated to widely scattered damaging wind gusts up to 60 mph and isolated incidents of hail larger than quarter size. A brief, weak tornado is possible from far northern Virginia to southern Vermont and New Hampshire.
Columbia, S.C., Charlotte, N.C., Roanoke to Alexandria, Va., Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia’s western suburbs, and Springfield, Mass., will be a few bigger cities that will have to keep a watchful eye on the sky.
Other cities spread from Mobile, Ala., and Tallahassee, Fla., to Raleigh, N.C., New York City, Boston, and Portland, Maine, may have a few strong thunderstorms pepper them too.
Heavy, drenching rain will be part of the most intense thunderstorms, although some locations from the central Gulf Coast to eastern New England could experience repeated activity. This will build up locally higher rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches, which could result in low-lying, urban flooding, especially in areas susceptible to excess runoff issues. If you do approach a roadway covered in water, remember this motto – “Turn Around, Don’t Drown!”
The same complex weather-maker will not move much on Sunday as the pattern will remain in a gridlock across the nation. This could mean a few more potent thunderstorms may happen during the afternoon and evening from eastern Florida to the Mid-Atlantic and as far north as the Allegheny mountains.
Pittsburgh, Washington, D.C., Richmond, Va., Raleigh and Wilmington, N.C., Columbia and Charleston, S.C., Savannah, Ga., and Jacksonville to Orlando and Miami, will have the best opportunity to see a gusty thunderstorm to finish the weekend.
The best way to remain safe is to stay prepared and informed about your local weather. Have a severe weather kit packed with a battery-operated radio, water, and non-perishable food items should you be without power for extended periods of time. Also, check the WeatherBug app frequently for any updates on today's severe weather. Remember, “When Thunder Roars, Go Indoors!
