Flash Flood Watch Issued for Arlington

IMAGE: The area shaded in green on this National Weather Service map, issued at 10 a.m. Friday, is under a Flood Watch and Flash Flood Watch, beginning Friday night through Saturday night.

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The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch that includes the entire DC Metro region, including Alexandria, Arlington, Falls Church, Fairfax County and the District of Columbia.

The Watch is in effect from late Friday night through late Saturday night, according to the weather service.

Low pressure is expected to intensify over the Ohio Valley Friday night and move into southwestern New York by Sunday morning, the weather service notes. As it does so, a warm front will lift through Southern and Central Virginia Saturday and Saturday night with heavy rains developing late Friday night into Saturday morning across the Shenandoah Valley and spreading northeast across the rest of the area Saturday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

Rain will be heavy at times with embedded thunderstorms expected Saturday into Saturday evening with 1 to 3 inches of rain likely by the time a cold front clears the area late Saturday night, the weather service says.

Potential exists, according to the NWS, for flash flooding to occur on small streams, creeks and urban areas. Significant rises are also likely on main stem rivers such as the Potomac and Shenandoah rivers.

A Flash Flood Watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding.

Check the new weather page on Arlington Patch for the latest local forecast.