The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for certain mid-Atlantic states this Memorial Day, including Washington, D.C., Maryland, and parts of Virginia and North Carolina.
Residents in these areas might experience wind gusts up to 70 mph and hail the size of pingpong balls, according to CNN. The tornado watch remains in effect until 11 p.m.
“Damaging winds are expected to be the most common risks, but large hail is also possible, along [with] the potential for a couple of tornadoes regionally,” stated the Storm Prediction Center in a warning.
Storm activity in the Washington, D.C., area is anticipated to intensify into the evening. A cold front moving into the region might trigger storms that could rapidly develop near and west of the Interstate 95 corridor.
A severe thunderstorm watch has also been announced for parts of New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, affecting over 30 million people in the Northeast. This watch is effective until 9:30 p.m. Monday.
This Sunday marked the sixth instance this year with 100 or more tornado warnings, suggesting that 2024 might set a record for the most in a single year. The previous record was set in 2011 with nine days.
