Severe Storm Warning; Strong Winds, Large Hail Predicted

UPDATE - 5:15 p.m. - The National Weather Service has extended the Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Prince George's County and surrounding areas until 6 p.m. 

UPDATE - 5:05 p.m - The NWS has issued a Flash Flood Warning for central Prince George's County and surrounding areas as a result of the powerful line of storms sweeping through the area. The warning is in effect until 7 p.m. 

According to the NWS areas at risk for flash flooding include from Greenbelt, Bladensburg and the Port Towns area, Hyattsville and New Carrollton, among others. 

UPDATE - 4:33 p.m. - The NWS has upgraded the storm watch to a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Prince George's County and surrounding areas in the Washington-Baltimore region until 5 p.m.

The alert warns the storm will bring high winds up to 60 mph and quarter sized hail to some areas.

Original article below - 

A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for Prince George's County and surrounding areas in the Washington-Baltimore region until 9 p.m. tonight. 

That has area power companies prepping customers for potential weather-related power outages across the region. 

Pepco announced earlier today that it is monitoring the forecasts, warning that powerful winds could knock out electricity in some areas. Pepco has taken the precautionary move to schedule additional technicians and call center personnel to work through the night.

Baltimore Gas and Electric is warning customers that it is preparing for possible weather-related power outages in light of forecasts that a thunderstorm and high winds might hit central Maryland. 

The warnings come after nearly earlier this month, some for a more than week, after the destructive derecho hit the region.

The warnings also come amid, which has triggered the opening of cooling centers across the region.

A National Weather Service Hazardous Weather Outlook says scattered thunderstorms are likely Wednesday afternoon and evening across the region.

Some of those storms may be severe, with large wind gusts, hail and possible flash flooding, the weather service said.

There also may be “strong to severe” thunderstorms Thursday afternoon and evening as well.

A high of 99 is expected Wednesday, with a 20 to 40 percent chance of thunderstorms. There is a 60 percent chance of thunderstorms Thursday, with an expected high of 91.

“As the region continues to experience high temperatures, exceeding 100 degrees, BGE is also preparing for potential weather-related outages from the severe thunderstorms and high wind forecasted for this afternoon,” said Jeannette M. Mills, vice president and chief customer officer for BGE in a company statement.

BGE officials said they might activate the company’s voluntary energy demand response program, called PeakRewards, “which helps lower the cost of electricity.”

The company activated PeakRewards for about two hours Tuesday, officials said.

“This program is critical to helping the company and the electric grid operator for the region to reduce peak demand and keep the electric system balanced, particularly during periods of high demand,” officials said in a statement.