Severe Thunderstorm Watch 496

 

SEL6

   URGENT - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
   Severe Thunderstorm Watch Number 496
   NWS Storm Prediction Center Norman OK
   215 PM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

   The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a

   * Severe Thunderstorm Watch for portions of 
     District Of Columbia
     Much of Maryland
     North central and northeats North Carolina
     Central and eastern Virginia
     The eastern West Virginia Panhandle
     Coastal Waters

   * Effective this Saturday afternoon and evening from 215 PM until
     900 PM EDT.

   * Primary threats include...
     Scattered damaging wind gusts to 70 mph likely
     Isolated large hail events to 1.5 inches in diameter possible

   SUMMARY...Scattered thunderstorms have formed along and immediately
   east of the higher terrain.  These storms will spread eastward
   through late evening with the potential to produce wind damage and
   isolated large hail.

   The severe thunderstorm watch area is approximately along and 80
   statute miles east and west of a line from 30 miles northeast of
   Hagerstown MD to 20 miles southwest of Raleigh NC. For a complete
   depiction of the watch see the associated watch outline update
   (WOUS64 KWNS WOU6).

   PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

   REMEMBER...A Severe Thunderstorm Watch means conditions are
   favorable for 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. Severe thunderstorms can and occasionally do produce
   tornadoes.

   &&

   OTHER WATCH INFORMATION...CONTINUE...WW 492...WW 493...WW
   494...WW 495...

   AVIATION...A few severe thunderstorms with hail surface and aloft to
   1.5 inches. Extreme turbulence and surface wind gusts to 60 knots. A
   few cumulonimbi with maximum tops to 550. Mean storm motion vector
   27020.

   ...Thompson