Flash Flood Watch Issued for Friday

As Tropical Storm Andrea nears the Florida Coast, the National Weather Service warned area residents Thursday to start preparing for the heavy rain and hazardous conditions expected between now and late Friday evening.

• See: Tropical Storm Andrea Forms: First Named Storm of the 2013 Hurricane Season

The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for Manassas and the greater Washington DC area through Friday evening.

While some areas will see rainfall totals of up to 6 inches, most area will see between 2 and 4 inches, the NWS says, with the heaviest rainfall expected between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Rain in some areas will begin Thursday night. See the Manassas forecast.

Runoff from the rain may lead to flash floods around small streams or low-lying and coastal areas.

The Capital Weather Gang's predictions Thursday afternoon place anywhere from 1 to 4 inches across the area through Saturday morning.

Andrea, the first named storm of the 2013 hurricane season, will bring severe weather to the area throughout the weekend.

The Capital Weather Gang says at the peak of the storm – Friday afternoon through Friday evening — some areas might see gusts between 20 and 30 miles per hour.