Rough, wet weather is expected to bring severe storms to the D.C. region Thursday afternoon, after hot, humid conditions in the morning.
“Tracking shower and thunderstorm chances later this afternoon; some may contain gusty winds and heavy downpours,” 7News Senior Meteorologist Steve Rudin said. “The more sunshine we see today, the better chance for those stronger storms.”
The exact timing of the severe weather is uncertain, but storm chances increase in the late afternoon.
“It’s a really tricky forecast,” 7News meteorologist Eileen Whelan told WTOP, “as we continue to track rain and storms diving out of the Great Lakes and Northeast into the mid-Atlantic.”
One reason the storms may be unsettled throughout the day, Whelan said, has to do with the atmosphere.
“The key to the storms for today will be added sunshine during the afternoon,” Rudin said. “So the more sun we see, the better chance for those stronger storms to develop.”
There are patches of rain well to the west and north of the District, from the Pennsylvania-Maryland border to the West Virginia panhandle, and an additional stretch of weather on the Delaware side of the Delmarva Peninsula — extending from Dover Air Force Base across South Jersey and toward the Atlantic.
There’s more certainty about Thursday’s temperatures, which are expected to cross into the mid 90s in the late afternoon, and the humidity will add a few degrees to the feels-like temperatures. There are heat advisories for swaths south of the D.C. area, including St. Mary’s County in Maryland and Albemarle County in Virginia.
Another round of strong to severe storms are possible on Friday. The heat and storm chances should ease heading into Labor Day weekend, with cooler, less humid conditions arriving over the weekend.
Saturday and Sunday should reach the 80s, and Labor Day temperatures could top out around 80.
FRIDAY: WEATHER ALERT
Partly cloudy
Chance of rain, storms
Highs: 88-94 I Heat Index: 96-102
Winds: Southwest 10-15 mph
Friday is the transition day, but it will not be an instant switch to cooler weather. It starts very warm and humid, with showers and thunderstorms still possible as a cold front slowly works through the region. Some storms could be strong, especially earlier in the day, but the overall severe weather threat should begin to ease as the front pushes farther south and the atmosphere becomes a little more stable. There may still be periods of rain and thunder, especially north of the front, so it is not a completely dry day. The bigger change comes later Friday and Friday night as the front clears more of the D.C. region, allowing cooler and less humid air to finally start filtering in and setting up a much more comfortable Labor Day weekend.
SATURDAY
Partly to mostly sunny
Highs: 80-85
Winds: North 5-10 mph
A much better start to the holiday weekend. Temperatures drop into the lower to middle 80s with noticeably lower humidity. Most of the D.C. region should stay dry, although a stray shower or thunderstorm could linger near the Blue Ridge. Otherwise, conditions continue improving through the day.
SUNDAY
Scattered clouds
Highs: 78-83
Winds: Northwest 5-10 mph
Comfortable and mainly dry weather is set to continue Sunday with low humidity and highs in the lower to middle 80s.
MONDAY
Labor Day is still trending on the nice side. Most of the day should be dry and comfortable, with highs in the lower to middle 80s and much lower humidity. A stray shower cannot be completely ruled out, but widespread rain is not expected. Overall, it looks like a very pleasant end to the long weekend.
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