While a severe cluster of storms is expected to bring violent hurricane force winds and softball sized hail to portions of Oklahoma and Texas, another area of severe weather will unfold over portions of the Mid Atlantic with Delaware, Maryland, and Virginia having a heightened risk of tornadic storms today.

A shortwave trough currently over Ohio will track eastward today, with large-scale ascent overspreading the Mid Atlantic states by afternoon. A moist surface air mass is present across much of Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina   with dewpoints in the upper 60s. Persistent clouds and weak mid-level lapse rates will limit destabilization. However, according to the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center, it appears likely that storms will develop off the Blue Ridge by mid afternoon and spread eastward toward the coast.

Forecast soundings show sufficient low and deep layer shear for supercell structures capable of damaging wind gusts and perhaps a few tornadoes.

Due to the tornado threat, the National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch for portions of central Maryland and northern and eastern Virginia. Additional tornado or severe thunderstorm watches and warnings could be issued later today. At least one Tornado Warning has been issued within this Tornado Watch area today.

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has also been issued for the rest of southern Virginia and eastern North and South Carolina.