Severe thunderstorm watch issued
Published 2:15 pm Monday, April 8, 2019
UPDATE: A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for eastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina.
Suffolk is among the localities under the watch, which calls for showers and thunderstorms capable of producing gusty winds, small hail and locally heavy rainfall.
The watch is in effect until 10 p.m., according to the National Weather Service Wakefield.
Check back later for more information.
Earlier: A cold front moving in from the west is expected to bring some short-lived but heavy rainfall and the possibility of damaging wind gusts this evening, according to the National Weather Service in Wakefield.
Meteorologist Mike Montefusco said showers and thunderstorms should reach Suffolk between 6 and 10 p.m., with wind gusts reaching 50 to 60 miles per hour. Because of already saturated ground, it could lead to downed trees, he said.
Showers should taper off in the late night to early morning hours Tuesday, he said, with temperatures in the upper 70s and showers possible, but mostly in coastal areas.
He said the National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center has predicted Suffolk and the South Hampton Roads region has a slight risk of severe weather tonight.
“There is certainly the potential for warnings to be issued later in the day depending on how things evolve,” Montefusco said.
Monday has been the warmest day of the year in Suffolk, with temperatures reaching 82 degrees by early afternoon.