NWS: Wind, Heavy Rain Forecast for Wednesday Night in McLean

Update - 7:20 p.m. Wednesday

Our are is under a tornado watch until 2 a.m. Thursday. The severe thunderstorm is still in effect. Read more here.

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Update - 4:10 p.m. Wednesday

Rain has moved into the D.C. metro area and will pick up throughout this evening. The heaviest rain and wind is expected between 9 p.m. through 2 a.m. tonight. Sustained winds during the storm will be above 20 MPH with much higher gusts expected. 

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Original post - 1:55 p.m. Wednesday

The week's wacky winter weather — freezing rain Monday that closed or delayed some schools in Northern Virginia and highs Tuesday that reached nearly 70 degrees — continues Wednesday.

Much of Fairfax County is under a Flash Flood Watch (from 3 p.m. Wednesday until late in the evening), according to the National Weather Service.

What forecasters are calling "a strong cold front" is heading toward Northern Virginia, and the area could see 1-2 inches of rain — possibly with thunderstorms — with heavy rain starting to fall Wednesday evening, according to Calvin Meadows, meteorological technician at the National Weather Service office in Sterling. 

The National Weather Service forecasts that Northern Virginia could see damaging wind gusts and warns that urban areas will be the most susceptible to flooding. 

Forecasters say Northern Virginia will see a high Wednesday possibly in the low 70s with a 40 percent chance of rain during the day and a 90 percent chance of rain for Wednesday night. The low temperature Wednesday night is expected to plunge to 40 degrees.

Thursday's high temperature will struggle to reach 50 degrees.