India, May 31 -- Washington, DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City are under heightened alert as the National Weather Service (NWS) issued Tornado Watch, effective until midnight EDT on Friday. The warning covers parts of Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

The watch, announced by NWS offices in State College, PA, Mount Holly, NJ, and Wakefield, VA, warns of severe thunderstorms bringing risks of damaging winds, large hail, and isolated tornadoes across 22 counties and multiple coastal waters, including Delaware Bay and Chesapeake Bay.

The NWS Mount Holly office reported that the watch spans major urban centers, including Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Atlantic City, with potential hazards like ping pong ...