Tornado Watch Issued For NoVA, DC: UPDATE

STERLING, VA—Here we go again, boys and girls. Six days after violent storms marked an end to the work week, the National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for the Northern Virginia area until 9 p.m. Friday. To wit: "Scattered severe thunderstorms capable of producing damaging winds and isolated tornadoes are possible (Friday) afternoon into the early evening hours."

Too, a gale warning is in effect until 2 p.m. Saturday. Last Friday, The National Weather Service confirmed a tornado touched down near Reston.

However, as the Washingon Post's Capital Weather Gang points out: "The main silver lining to todays rain chances—even with strong storms possible—is that it will wash away some of the region’s grossly high pollen levels.

So there you go. Here's the detailed forecast from the National Weather Service's local bureau in Sterling:

Friday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after noon. Some storms could be severe, with damaging winds and heavy rain. High near 72. Southwest wind 13 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Friday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11pm, then a slight chance of showers between 11pm and 2am. Cloudy during the early evening, then gradual clearing, with a low around 48. Breezy, with a west wind 14 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 66. Breezy, with a west wind 18 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 38 mph.

Saturday Night: A slight chance of showers. Increasing clouds, with a low around 52. Northwest wind 5 to 10 mph becoming light after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Sunday: A slight chance of showers before 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 73. South wind 6 to 13 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 44.

Monday: Sunny, with a high near 64.

Monday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 55. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 79.

Tuesday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Wednesday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 74. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Wednesday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 59. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Thursday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. Chance of precipitation is 40%.