WEATHER BLOG: Cold Front Coming

A strong cold front is moving our way, starting Thursday.

The front is coming in from the Midwest, and will still be strengthening when it arrives in Maryland. Thunderstorms will break out ahead of the front Thursday, and they could become strong to severe. A slight risk area has been highlighted by the Storm Prediction Center for western Maryland straight down to Annapolis. It cuts back through D.C. to Virginia. The severe threat will diminish (not completely leave us, just diminish) overnight and then re-ignite again Friday when the actual cold front comes swinging through the state. The entire state is in the slight risk area for severe weather on Friday. Damaging winds and heavy rain are the biggest threat around here, but hail and an isolated tornado cannot be completely ruled out.

WJZ First Warning Weather will be monitoring the situation closely, and will keep you updated both on WJZ and WJZ.com. We will try to keep our Twitter feed going, too - follow us at WJZ Weather.

This is a strong front that will slow down after it peaks in intensity late Friday. Rain and some thunderstorms will linger into Saturday, and will be slow to clear out. Temperatures will take a hit, only topping out in the low 80s Saturday afternoon with clouds lingering some of the day. The exact timing for the return of dry air is still unclear, but it will probably be sometime Saturday or Saturday night. Cooler air will also follow the front. Highs will only top out in the mid 80s Sunday and Monday.

In the tropics...

Ernesto made landfall at 11:15 p.m. near Mahahaual, Mexico. That is along the southern strip of the Yucatan Peninsula. Ernesto has lost strength as it crossed the peninsula, but is still hanging on to tropical storm status as it tracks west along the southern edge of the Gulf Coast. Winds are currently 50 mph, and will remain close to this for the next 24 hours. Then, Ernesto will move farther into the mainland of Mexico before breaking up completely and raining itself out.