Tornado Watch Added to Loudoun's Weather Alert

UPDATE: The National Weather Service has a Tornado Watch for Loudoun County from 6:31 p.m. Jan. 30 to 2 a.m. Jan. 31. More information at http://inws.wrh.noaa.gov/weather/alertinfo/9009865.

Original story:

The National Weather Service warns that a line of heavy rain and thunderstorms this afternoon could mean flooding for Loudoun County.

NWS issued a flash flood watch from 3 p.m. until late Wednesday night for Northern Virginia, including Loudoun, Fairfax, Arlington and Alexandria Counties.

What forecasters are calling "a strong cold front" is heading toward Northern Virginia, and the area could see 1-2 inches of rain — possibly with thunderstorms — with heavy rain starting to fall around 9 p.m. Wednesday, according to Calvin Meadows, meteorological  technician at the National Weather Service office in Sterling. 

The area could see wind gusts up to 40 MPH, according to NWS.

The watch comes on the heels of some wacky weather: freezing rain Monday that closed Loudoun County schools, and highs Tuesday that reached nearly 70 degrees.

Though highs will near 70 again Wednesday, the low temperature Wednesday night is expected to plunge to 40 degrees. Thursday's high temperature will struggle to reach 50 degrees.

Check Patch for more information as it becomes available.