Photo by Jordan Higgins

The D.C. area is bracing for a line of severe weather today, but as the stormfront moves into the District, the rain and thunder is less severe than it was in western suburbs. Skies over the city are dark and ominous, but the heaviest effects are being seen elsewhere.

The District is under a severe thunderstorm watch until 11 a.m., though the heaviest downpour came earlier this morning in places like Frederick County, Md., which reported half-dollar-sized hail and wind gusts as hard as 60 miles per hour.

The Capital Weather Gang reports the line of storms is now moving rapidly toward eastern Maryland. The National Weather Service has placed a severe thunderstorm warning on Anne Arundel County, while Annapolis is expected to be hit hard by the approaching storm. Flights at Reagan Washington National Airport and Baltimore-Washington International Airport have been grounded since about 9 a.m.

Employees of the federal and D.C. governments are being permitted to take unscheduled leave or unscheduled telework today while the region remains under the threat of a major weather pattern.

More storms are forecasted to enter the region in the afternoon, which is expected to bring heavier rain and harder wind on the immediate D.C. area. Not that the rain is badly needed. After several days of rain earlier this week that left the area with between six and eight inches for the month so far, the area is well above its average accumulation of about four inches for June.