Region in for Stormy Mess Wednesday

Expect a soggy, downright nasty commute for the morning rush hour Wednesday.

A batch of heavy rain, lightning, and thunder is expected to push its way into our area sometime after 5 a.m.

The rain is expected to linger in the area until about 8 a.m. As the day wears on, so will a flood watch that went into effect at 10 p.m. Tuesday. With four to five inches of rain expected to fall, the flood watch will last into Wednesday afternoon and evening as more thunderstorms will develop, these associated with a warm front that will move through the region on Wednesday.

And, while temperatures were cool on Tuesday, expect warmer temperatures Wednesday and the threat of more severe storms with isolated tornadoes possible.

Here’s more from the National Weather Service:

THUNDERSTORMS WILL BECOME ROOTED WITHIN THE BOUNDARY LAYER…ESPECIALLY LATER WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAYAFTERNOON AS INSTABILITY INCREASES BEHIND THE WARM FRONT. SHEARPROFILES WILL BE VERY STRONG…INCREASING THE CHANCE FOR SEVEREWEATHER. THE PRIMARY THREATS WILL BE DAMAGING WINDS AND ISOLATEDTORNADOES. THE BEST CHANCE FOR THIS TO OCCUR WILL BE FROM WESTERN MARYLAND AND EASTERN WEST VIRGINIA ACROSS NORTHERN AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA INTO EXTREME SOUTHERN MARYLAND.

Forecasters said the drenching rain can also cause flooding in some low-lying areas, as well as flash flooding and ponding on roadways. Some of the roads prone to flooding are Aden Road in Prince William County and Harrell Road in Stafford County, so you’ll want to avoid those routes, if possible.

The threat of severe weather will diminish into Wednesday evening, but there is the possibility of a few showers or thunderstorms that could linger into the late or overnight hours into Thursday, according to the weather service.

We begin to dry out on Friday, and we’ll see partly sunny skies on Saturday and Sunday, and a possible warming trend for the beginning of next week.