9:30 PM | Thunderstorms threaten the Philly metro region after 11pm

Discussion

An intense north-to-south squall line is racing to the southeast from West Virginia into western Virginia at this hour and these storms will likely affect the DC metro region between 10PM and 1AM. Farther to the north, another batch of storms that lie in an east-to-west fashion, precede the squall line across south-central PA and these storms will likely affect parts of the Philly metro region after 11PM with the greatest threat in the southern half of the region (e.g., Chester and Delaware Counties, South Philadelphia). These storms created quite a punch as they whipped through western Ohio earlier this evening with wind gusts reported of up to 70 mph and higher. There can be some heavy rainfall, strong wind gusts and vivid lightning associated with this complex of storms later tonight. All of this activity is being fueled by the excessive heat and humidity of the day as temperatures reached 98 degrees this afternoon at Philly Intl Airport which was the highest temperature recorded so far this year.