High temperatures blast DC area Wednesday as heat wave moves through East Coast

Wednesday’s weather calls for fun in the sun. The D.C. area marks its first signs of summer for the year, with a heat wave bringing temperatures up into the 90s.

The District is just one of the major cities on the East Coast experiencing a heat wave with hot air blowing through the region, causing record high temperatures.

7News First Alert Meteorologist Eileen Whelan said records at all three major area airports will likely be broken.

“Those records are in the 80s and we’re forecasting highs in the 90s which is about 20 to 25 degrees warmer than normal here for this time of year,” Whelan said.

Whelan also said the hottest weather will be between 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.

“Temperatures will be slow to fall out of the 80s this evening and then will bottom out in the upper 60s tonight,” Whelan said.

Skies will be mostly to partly sunny for your Wednesday plans, and there may be a slight breeze. The wind might make your seasonal allergies worse as tree pollen remains high, Whelan said.

The hot weather will continue with the possibility for record highs again Thursday.

Thursday evening into Friday there may be isolated showers or a storm. But the warmer weather will stick around with highs in the mid-80s.

Expect the heat to finally cool down Sunday, as a cold front is set to move in. Whelan said it will be like a “washout day,” and cooler temperatures will lead into a more breezy Monday.

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FORECAST

WEDNESDAY NIGHT:
Partly Cloudy
Lows: 65-72
Winds: Southwest 5-10 mph
It will be an exceptionally mild night for the middle of April, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures only slipping to the mid 60s and lower 70s early Thursday morning. That is more typical of late spring or even early summer than mid April. The warmth will likely put record warm low temperatures in serious danger. For April 16, the record warm low at Reagan National is 65, and at Dulles it is 63, both set in 2017. If temperatures stay as warm as forecast through daybreak, those records could easily be tied or broken. A light southwest breeze continues overnight, which should help keep the air mixed enough to prevent much cooling.

THURSDAY:
Partly Cloudy, Hot
Evening Showers, Storm Chances
Highs: 90-95
Winds: Southwest 5-10 mph
Record: DCA: 92 | IAD: 91
Another day of record challenging heat is on the way. Highs once again reach the lower 90s under partly sunny skies. Southwest winds pick up, occasionally gusting to around 20 miles per hour. At Reagan National, the record high for April 16 is 92, and this forecast is right there. Dulles has a record of 91, so that will be close as well. It stays dry through most of the day, with very warm and somewhat dry air in place. Thursday night also stays quite mild, with lows around 70, and that is above the record warm lows for April 17 at both sites. Reagan National’s record warm low for April 17 is 65, while Dulles is 59.

FRIDAY:
Partly Cloudy, Stray Thunderstorms and Showers
Highs: 80-86
Winds: Northwest 10-20 mph
Still warm, but not quite as extreme as the previous days. Highs ease back into the mid 80s with a mix of sun and clouds. There is a chance of stay thundershowers developing, especially after 2 in the afternoon, as a front gets closer. Even with the slight cooldown, temperatures remain above normal. Winds shift to the northwest and can gust up to around 20 miles per hour.

SATURDAY:
Mostly Sunny
Highs: 85-90
Winds: Southwest: 10-15 mph
Saturday stays very warm and well above normal, with highs reaching the upper 80s under mostly sunny skies. It will still feel more like late May than the middle of April. In fact, this looks like one more day of unusually warm weather before the pattern finally begins to shift. Most of the daylight hours appear dry, so much of Saturday should be good for outdoor plans. As the day goes on, though, clouds will start to increase and the atmosphere becomes a bit more unsettled heading into Saturday night. A chance of showers develops later Saturday night as a stronger cold front approaches, setting the stage for a much bigger change to wrap up the weekend.

SUNDAY:
Areas of Rain, Breezy
Highs: 65-70
Winds: Northwest 10-15, Gusts to 25 mph
Sunday brings a much different feel across the DMV. Skies turn cloudy, showers become more likely, and temperatures take a noticeable step down from the warmth of the past several days. Highs only reach the 60s to lower 70s. The front moving through will knock temperatures back in a hurry, and by the end of the day it will start to feel much more like a typical April pattern again. Showers remain possible into Sunday night before the system pulls away, and cooler air really settles in by late night with lows dropping into the 40s.