Storms are forecast Monday afternoon and evening and could bring severe wind, hail and possibly isolated tornadoes, the National Weather Service warned.
A tornado watch is in effect until 10 p.m. across all of Central Maryland and on the upper Eastern Shore. A risk of tornadoes is forecast from northern Virginia into southern Pennsylvania.
The storms could also bring damaging wind gusts and large hail, the weather service warned.
A severe thunderstorm warning was declared for the area until 9:30 p.m., warning of potential for deadly lightning, damaging winds, heavy rain and destructive hail.
About 1.3 inches of rain fell at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport from late Sunday night through early Monday morning. A coastal flood advisory was in effect for Anne Arundel County, southern Baltimore County and Baltimore City, with tides up to a foot and a half above normal.
With warming temperatures and high levels of moisture in the air, storms could turn severe, forecasters said. Temperatures reached 78 degrees at BWI by 3 p.m., while dew points were in the 60s for much of the day.
The Storm Prediction Center predicts 30 percent chances of damaging winds and large hail, and slight chances of isolated tornadoes.
Sunshine is forecast Tuesday, with highs in the upper 60s.
Then, a cooler trend is forecast for the rest of the week, with highs in the lower 60s Wednesday and the upper 50s Thursday and Friday. Rain showers are possible again Wednesday but otherwise partly cloudy skies are forecast for the rest of the week.