Severe Thunderstorm Watches Issued as Severe Storms and Heavy Rain Threat Target the East Sunday

Tom Moore
Published: June 5,2016
Severe thunderstorms with damaging winds, hail, and perhaps a few tornadoes are expected across much of the East Sunday.
This risk of severe weather and heavy rainfall is due to disturbances along two jet streams.
NOAA's Storm Prediction Center has issued the following severe weather watches:

• A severe thunderstorm watch valid until 9 p.m. EDT for portions of northeastern Ohio and northwestern Pennsylvania. The watch area includes Cleveland, Youngstown and Erie.
• A severe thunderstorm watch valid until 10 p.m. EDT for D.C., Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, extreme southeast New York, southeast and east-central Pennsylvania, northern central Virginia and the extreme eastern West Virginia Panhandle. This includes New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington D.C.
• A severe thunderstorm watch valid until 11 p.m. EDT for southern Maryland, North Carolina, northern South Carolina and south-central and southeast Virginia.

Current Radar with Watches and Warnings

(MORE: View National Interactive Radar Map | Difference Between a Watch and a Warning)

Severe Setup

A strong cold front, with a deepening southward dip in the jet stream, will move from the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley to the Eastern Seaboard by late Sunday. This will create lifting of warm, moist air, producing showers and thunderstorms.
The result will be the progression of thunderstorms eastward. Some thunderstorms will turn severe and will produce large hail and damaging winds.

The meteorological ingredients for severe weather Sunday in the East.

The overall tornado threat is relatively low but a few tornadoes are possible.
Meanwhile, a disturbance in the subtropical jet stream that has been producing heavy rain across much of Texas this week has weakened considerably.
Moisture from this system is being pulled northward and is interacting with the northern system. This will enhance rainfall totals from the Appalachians to the East Coast through Sunday.
Below is our latest forecast thinking on the timing and magnitude of the severe threats.

Sunday

• Forecast: Severe storms and locally heavy rain, from parts of southern New York to eastern Georgia, most numerous in the mid-Atlantic states.
• Threats: Damaging wind gusts, leading to downed trees, tree limbs and power outages. Some hail and a few tornadoes are also possible.
• Cities: Philadelphia | Washington D.C. | Richmond | Raleigh | Charlotte

Sunday's Thunderstorm Forecast

Parts of the eastern U.S. will see heavy rain through Sunday. The heaviest rain (2 to 4 inches) with locally heavier amounts are more likely across the Appalachians (localized flooding is possible). A general area of 1 to 3 inches of rain is expected from the Carolinas up through New England.

Rainfall Forecast Through Sunday

Snapped An Awesome Shot? Share Your Photo!

If you crave pictures of severe weather, you've found your home here. Upload your photos or video (taking care to only take photos and videos from a safe location) to us and share your experience!

(PHOTO/VIDEO GALLERIES: Severe | Storms)

MORE: Severe Weather And Flooding March 30-31, 2016