363  
FXUS61 KLWX 270714  
AFDLWX  
 
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION  
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC  
314 AM EDT WED MAY 27 2026  
   
WHAT HAS CHANGED  
 
FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES FOR WESTERN MD AND THE UPPER POTOMAC  
HIGHLANDS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. CONTINUE TO MONITOR DEVELOPING  
CONVECTION OVER OH/WV THAT WILL MOVE INTO THE AREA THIS MORNING.  
 
 
   
KEY MESSAGES  
 
- 1) SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND A FEW INSTANCES OF FLOODING ARE  
POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  
 
 
   
DISCUSSION  
 
KEY MESSAGE 1...SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND A FEW INSTANCES OF FLOODING  
ARE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  
 
THE BERMUDA HIGH REMAINS IN PLACE TODAY ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST  
ATLANTIC, WITH A STREAM OF TROPICAL MOISTURE ADVECTING NORTHWARD TO  
THE MID-ATLANTIC ON THE RIDGE'S WESTERN PERIPHERY. THE 00Z IAD  
SOUNDING HAD UPWARDS OF 1.9" PWAT, AND THAT MOISTURE IS EXPECTED TO  
REMAIN IN PLACE TODAY. ALOFT, A STRONG UPPER TROUGH DIGS SOUTH OVER  
THE EASTERN GREAT LAKES, DRAGGING WITH IT AN ASSOCIATED SURFACE COLD  
FRONT. A STALLED FRONTAL BOUNDARY REMAINS IN PLACE ACROSS SOUTHERN  
VA THIS MORNING, AND IS EXPECTED TO LIFT SLIGHTLY NORTH THIS  
AFTERNOON. SEVERAL WAVES OF ENERGY ALOFT TRAVERSE ACROSS THE STALLED  
BOUNDARY THROUGH THIS EVENING.  
 
THIS IS GOING TO PRODUCE AT LEAST A COUPLE ROUNDS OF SHOWERS AND  
THUNDERSTORMS ACROSS THE AREA. THE FIRST WILL BE FROM EARLY MORNING  
CONVECTION OVER OH/WV THAT REACHES THE ALLEGHENY FRONT AROUND  
SUNRISE THIS MORNING. THESE SHOWERS/STORMS ARE GOING TO BE SLOW  
MOVING AND COULD PRODUCE A QUICK 1-3" ACROSS PARTS OF WESTERN MD AND  
THE UPPER POTOMAC HIGHLANDS. GIVEN THE SATURATED GROUND CONDITIONS  
FROM DAYS OF RAIN, THIS PRODUCE INSTANCES OF FLOODING. AS SUCH, A  
FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THESE AREAS THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON.  
 
THE TIMING FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF THUNDERSTORMS REMAINS A BIT  
UNCERTAIN. 00Z CAM GUIDANCE INDICATE STORMS DEVELOPING EARLIER, FROM  
LATE MORNING TO MID AFTERNOON, THOUGH THE RRFS STILL HAS THE MAIN  
THUNDERSTORM WINDOW FROM MID AFTERNOON TO EARLY EVENING.  
 
SPC HAS MAINTAINED THE SLIGHT RISK (LEVEL 2 OUT OF 5) FOR SOUTH OF  
THE POTOMAC RIVER, INCLUDING DC AND SOUTHERN MD, WITH A MARGINAL  
RISK (LEVEL 1 OF 5) TO THE NORTH. STORM MOTION IS GOING TO BE  
FASTER AS DEEP-LAYER WINDS INCREASE, BUT LOCALLY HEAVY RAINFALL  
COULD PRODUCE SOME FLOOD THREAT, ESPECIALLY IN URBAN AREAS.  
 
DAMAGING WIND GUSTS ARE GOING TO BE THE PRIMARY THREAT FROM ANY  
SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THAT DEVELOP TODAY. WHILE NOT EXPECTING  
WIDESPREAD SEVERE STORMS, A FEW COULD PRODUCE WET MICROBURSTS IN  
A NEARLY SATURATED ENVIRONMENT. LOW-LEVEL LAPSE RATES ARE  
FORECAST AROUND 7-7.5 C/KM, AND EFFECTIVE DEEP SHEAR AROUND 40  
KNOTS. THIS FAVORS SOME ORGANIZED MULTI-CELL CLUSTERS OR LINE  
SEGMENTS THAT CROSS THE AREA FROM NORTHWEST TO SOUTHEAST.  
 
BY LATE EVENING THE MAJORITY OF THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL PUSH  
SOUTH OF THE AREA, WITH RESIDUAL SOME SHOWERS/STORMS LINGERING  
INTO THE EARLY PART OF THE NIGHT. NOT EXPECTING SEVERE WEATHER  
WITH ANY LATE CONVECTION IN THE AREA.  
 
THE FRONT MOVES SOUTH OF THE AREA BY EARLY THURSDAY MORNING, WITH  
CLEARING SKIES AND MOSTLY DRY CONDITIONS BEHIND IT. A REINFORCING  
FRONT MOVES THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON, WHICH COULD KICK OFF A FEW  
SHOWERS AND STORMS IN CENTRAL VA WHERE SOME MOISTURE LINGERS. RAIN  
CHANCES ARE LOW AT AROUND 20-30PCT. AFTER THAT, DRY AND SEASONAL  
CONDITIONS EXPECTED FRIDAY.  
 
A FEW EXTRA CLOUDS MAY BE NOTED SATURDAY, ESPECIALLY NORTH OF  
I-66/US-50 AND SOUTH OF I-64 AS A SERIES OF UPPER LEVEL LOW  
PRESSURE SYSTEMS PASS NEARBY. THE BIGGER STORY FOR THE EXTENDED  
PERIOD WILL BE THE RETURN OF SUNSHINE AND SEASONABLE/SLIGHTLY  
BELOW NORMAL TEMPERATURES. EXPECT HIGHS IN THE 70S (60S  
MOUNTAINS) THROUGH TUESDAY WITH OVERNIGHT LOWS IN THE 40S AND  
50S. UPPER LEVEL RIDGING WILL PERSISTS THROUGH THE MIDDLE OF  
NEXT WEEK WITH A GRADUAL WARMING TREND EXPECTED.  
 
 
   
AVIATION /07Z WEDNESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/  
 
LOW CLOUDS AND FOG DEVELOP THIS MORNING, PRODUCING IFR TO LIFR  
CONDITIONS AT AREA TERMINALS. THESE RESTRICTIONS WILL PERSIST FOR  
MUCH OF THE DAY AS MULTIPLE ROUNDS OF SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS MOVE  
ACROSS THE AREA. THE MOST LIKELY TIME FOR STRONGER THUNDERSTORMS  
WILL BE DURING THE AFTERNOON TO EVENING, THOUGH TIMING REMAINS  
UNCERTAIN. A COLD FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH TONIGHT, BRINGING DRY AND VFR  
CONDITIONS THURSDAY AND FRIDAY.  
 
VFR CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FRIDAY THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK.  
LIGHT NORTHWEST WINDS LESS THAN 10-15 KTS.  
 
 
   
MARINE  
 
SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ARE FORECAST TO MOVE ACROSS THE WATERS  
THIS AFTERNOON TO EVENING. SOME OF THESE STORMS WILL BE CAPABLE OF  
PRODUCING STRONG WIND GUSTS, IN ADDITION TO LIGHTNING STRIKES.  
SPECIAL MARINE WARNINGS WILL LIKELY BE NEEDED FOR PARTS OF THE  
WATERS. A COLD FRONT SWEEPS THROUGH ON THURSDAY, AND NORTHERLY  
CHANNELING BEHIND THE FRONT COULD PRODUCE SCA CONDITIONS THROUGH  
THURSDAY EVENING. SUB-SCA CONDITIONS LIKELY FRIDAY.  
 
ADDITIONAL SCAS WILL BE NEEDED SATURDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING  
DUE TO NORTHERLY CHANNELING. SUNDAY AND MONDAY BRING NO MARINE  
HAZARDS AT THIS TIME.  
 
 
   
LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES  
 
DC...NONE.  
MD...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON FOR MDZ501-509-510.  
VA...NONE.  
WV...FLOOD WATCH THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON FOR WVZ501-503-505.  
MARINE...NONE.  
 
 
 
 
 
DISCUSSION...KRR/EST  
AVIATION...KRR/EST  
MARINE...KRR/EST  
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