What is causing these thunderstorms in virginia?

Question

It's almost 2AM here in northern VA and I was awakened by these storms. I checked the doppler and they just popped up like 30 miles west about an hour from 2 (1AM). How can storms just develop at mid-night?

Also there is no frontal boundary and the pressure is relatively high, what is causing these storms? I thought storms pop up either by frontal boundary or day time heating, this is neither. Whats the explaination?

Answer 1

Warm, humid air is trying to make a run Northward (almost like the Development of a weak Warm Front)... & it's setting off Storms along it's Boundary. This is fairly common in the Summer, & it tends to begin a repetitive pattern once it gets going... Expect quite a FEW late-night thunderstorms like these this Summer- I'm afraid...