The region is under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch through 1:00 a.m. Saturday.
Forecasters say a line of powerful storms known as a derecho is quickly moving our way from the Ohio Valley. From the National Weather Service:
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WITH DAMAGING WIND GUSTS TO IMPACT REGION THIS EVENING…
AT 745 PM… A LINE OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCING DAMAGING WIND GUSTS WAS CROSSING SOUTHEAST PENNSYLVANIA AND CENTRAL WEST VIRGINIA. THIS LINE OF THUNDERSTORMS IS EXPECTED TO HIT THE POTOMAC HIGHLANDS BETWEEN 8 AND 8:30 PM… THE SHENANDOAH VALLEY BETWEEN 8:30 AND 9 PM… THE INTERSTATE 95 CORRIDOR INCLUDING THE GREATER WASHINGTON AND BALTIMORE METROPOLITAN AREAS BETWEEN 9:30 AND 10 PM… THEN REACHING THE CHESAPEAKE BAY BETWEEN 10:30 AND 11 PM.
THIS LINE OF STORMS HAS A HISTORY OF PRODUCING MAJOR WIND DAMAGE ACROSS WEST VIRGINIA DUE TO WIND GUSTS OVER 75 MPH… ALONG WITH PROLIFIC CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.
