Tornado Watch Could Tangle Evening Commute

The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for Reston and all of Fairfax County and the entire metro region until 7 p.m. Tuesday.

The tornado watch, meaning there is a potential for tornadoes to develop, comes on top of a hazardous weather outlook the service issued earlier this morning.

"Showers and thunderstorms are expected along and ahead of a cold front through this evening. Heavy downpours could lead to localized flash flooding. In addition... some thunderstorms may be severe and produce damaging wind gusts and isolated tornadoes," the NWS's hazardous weather outlook reports. "The most likely time for severe weather looks to be from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m."

The Weather Channel offers several useful tips for driving during a storm, including these:

• Tune into the radio for weather updates
• Allow more distance between cars for braking
• Do not try to outrun a tornado if you spot one
• Drive slowly with your headlights on

Fairfax County also offers a number of tips for tornado safety, including

• Seek underground shelter, like storm cellars or basements
• "If underground shelter is not available, go into an interior room or hallway on the lowest floor possible."
• If you're in a high-rise building, go to the lowest floor of the structure and find an interior room or hallway.
• Go to the center of the room; stay clear of doors, windows and outside walls. Also avoid corners "because they attract debris."
• A vehicle, trailer or mobile home does not provide good protection. Plan to go quickly to a building with a strong foundation, if possible.
• If you are outside, do not seek shelter under a bridge or overpass. Lie flat in a ditch or other low-lying areas.

Patch will update this story as more information becomes available.