The National Weather Service issued a flood watch Wednesday for the D.C. area, beginning at 3 p.m. and extending into the early evening. They have also issued a wind advisory through 6 a.m. Thursday.

The storm could bring heavy rain and strong gusts of wind to the area, according to the Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang, with the toughest conditions between 3 and 8 p.m. Stormy weather is likely to continue into the evening, slowing down after midnight. The storm front will also bring wind and colder temperatures compared to yesterday and today's spring-like conditions.

Though the storm is not expected to be severe, it could lead to scattered power outages, according to the Jason Samenow, weather editor at the Washington Post. The storm could also cause flooding. However, the severity of the outages will not compare to  last year's devastating derecho.

"I wouldn't be surprised to see some power outages, but I don't think this will be a widespread event," Samenow said. "Of course, adding a little bit of complication is that this may be coming through during rush hour. Folks may want to plan for that and allow some extra time, just wait for this to come through before heading out or try to beat it before it comes in."

These conditions are part of a "line" of storms -- showers, thunder, heavy winds -- plowing through the eastern United States, including Pennsylvania.

(Copyright 2013 by WMAL.com and the Washington Post).

Below is the latest wind advisory from the National Weather Service:

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
323 PM EST WED JAN 30 2013

DCZ001-MDZ003>007-009>011-013-014-016>018-502-VAZ031-042-050>057-
501-502-WVZ051>053-504-310430-
/O.EXA.KLWX.WI.Y.0002.000000T0000Z-130131T1100Z/
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-WASHINGTON-FREDERICK MD-CARROLL-
NORTHERN BALTIMORE-HARFORD-MONTGOMERY-HOWARD-SOUTHERN BALTIMORE-
PRINCE GEORGES-ANNE ARUNDEL-CHARLES-ST. MARYS-CALVERT-
CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALLEGANY-CLARKE-LOUDOUN-ORANGE-CULPEPER-
PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK-FAIRFAX-
ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA-STAFFORD-SPOTSYLVANIA-
KING GEORGE-NORTHERN FAUQUIER-SOUTHERN FAUQUIER-MORGAN-BERKELEY-
JEFFERSON-EASTERN MINERAL-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...WASHINGTON...HAGERSTOWN...FREDERICK...
WESTMINSTER...GAITHERSBURG...COLUMBIA...BALTIMORE...ANNAPOLIS...
WALDORF...ST MARYS CITY...CUMBERLAND...LEESBURG...CULPEPER...
MANASSAS...MANASSAS PARK...FAIRFAX...ALEXANDRIA...FALLS CHURCH...
FREDERICKSBURG...WARRENTON...MARTINSBURG...CHARLES TOWN...
KEYSER...FORT ASHBY
323 PM EST WED JAN 30 2013

...WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST THURSDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS
ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST
THURSDAY.

* TIMING...THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED AHEAD OF A COLD
  FRONT LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

* WINDS...SOUTH 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS 45 TO 50 MPH. WINDS WILL
  SHIFT TO THE WEST BEHIND THE COLD FRONT OVERNIGHT.

* IMPACTS...THE STRONG WINDS COULD BRING DOWN TREE LIMBS AND
  CAUSE SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES. UNSECURED OBJECTS MAY BE BLOWN
  ABOUT...AND HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES MAY BECOME DIFFICULT TO
  MANEUVER.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH ARE
EXPECTED. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT...
ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES.