NWS Issues Tornado Watch

(Updated at 3:05 p.m.) The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for Arlington and the entire metro area. The watch will be in effect until 10:00 p.m. From NWS:

PRIMARY THREATS INCLUDE…
SEVERAL TORNADOES POSSIBLE
SEVERAL DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO 70 MPH POSSIBLE
A FEW LARGE HAIL EVENTS TO 1 INCH IN DIAMETER POSSIBLE

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

REMEMBER…A TORNADO WATCH MEANS CONDITIONS ARE FAVORABLE FOR
TORNADOES AND SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN AND CLOSE TO THE WATCH
AREA. PERSONS IN THESE AREAS SHOULD BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR
THREATENING WEATHER CONDITIONS AND LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS
AND POSSIBLE WARNINGS.

Strong storms are expected to blow into the area this afternoon and evening, possibly packing damaging winds and heavy rain. From the earlier NWS Severe Weather Outlook:

.DAY ONE…THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT

THUNDERSTORMS WILL ACCOMPANY A STRONG COLD FRONT THAT WILL MOVE
ACROSS THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A FEW STORMS MAY
BE SEVERE WITH LOCALLY DAMAGING WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN.

A GALE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE MARYLAND CHESAPEAKE BAY AND
TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER FROM 2 PM THIS AFTERNOON UNTIL 10 PM THIS
EVENING. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM. A SMALL
CRAFT ADVISORY WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED AFTER THE GALE WARNING
EXPIRES LATE THIS EVENING AND TONIGHT.

A STRENGTHENING SOUTHERLY FLOW MAY PRODUCE MINOR COASTAL FLOODING
NEAR TIMES OF HIGH TIDE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN…SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY

A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED FOR THE ENTIRE
MARYLAND PORTION OF THE CHESAPEAKE BAY AND TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER
SATURDAY. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY MAY BE NEEDED FOR PORTIONS OF THE
WATERS SATURDAY NIGHT INTO SUNDAY.

Although Arlington Public Schools has not issued any system-wide cancellations, some individual schools have already reported cancellations for evening events in anticipation of the severe weather.