A typical late-winter weather scenario – a strong cold front clashing with warm, moist air – has the potential to produce severe thunderstorms in the local area on Thursday.

The National Weather Service has placed the entire Roanoke-Chowan area as well as neighboring counties and southside Virginia under a Hazardous Weather Outlook.

According to the NWS forecast, a slow moving low pressure system and associated cold front will push across the mid Atlantic region Thursday and Thursday evening. This system is expected to bring a widespread swath of 1 to 2 inches of rainfall to the region, with locally higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Given the recent heavy rainfall, minor flooding of small streams will be possible, particularly west of I-95.

Additionally, strong to severe thunderstorms will also be possible on Thursday ahead of the front, especially over south central and southeast Virginia as well as northeast North Carolina.

Thursday’s high is expected to be in the mid 60’s with a south wind of between 13-to-17 mph. Showers remain in the forecast for Thursday night where the low will be around 40 degrees.

Thursday’s wet and stormy weather will give way to a pleasant weekend as skies are expected to be sunny on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with highs in the low to mid 60’s. Overnight lows will be in the mid to upper 30’s.