A Severe T-Storm Watch is in effect until 8PM

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect until 8PM for nearly the entire state of Virginia, as well as most of the Mid-Atlantic states. Here are the affected Virginia counties highlighted in Yellow on this map:

Thunderstorms are developing and strengthening in western parts of the state as of early afternoon, and will continue to advance into central Virginia through the afternoon and evening. Threats from these storms will include damaging wind gusts to 70 mph, some hail up to 1.5" in diameter (that's about the size of a ping-pong ball), frequent lightning, and torrential downpours that can produce localized flooding, especially ponding on roadways. This development today is occurring ahead of an approaching cold front from the northwest. In Virginia ahead of that front, ample low-level moisture is present as well as peak daytime heating to support instability and storm initiation and intensification. The wind environment from the ground up is not conducive for rotation in these storms (ie, no tornado threat), but rather the threat for damaging straight-line winds from down-bursts out of the strongest storms. Stay with CBS6, we'll keep you ahead of the storm. --Meteorologist Carrie Rose