Memorial Day is almost here, which means summer isn’t far behind. And it looks like it will be a warm, mostly pleasant weekend, with a low to medium chance for thunderstorms.
“The long, holiday weekend will be very warm from start to finish with highs in the mid- to upper 80s all three days,” Storm Team 4 meteorologist Chuck Bell said.
WEATHER ALERT from StormTeam4 this afternoon. Strong to severe storms will be possible just in time for the afternoon commute (3-7pm) so take your umbrella this morning. Main threat will be damaging wind gusts of 60mph+. Stay with @NBCWashington pic.twitter.com/U8qINvp8nk
— Chuck Bell (@ChuckBell4) May 23, 2019
Those leaving Thursday to Ocean City may encounter a thunderstorm along the way. Bell suggests leaving before 2 p.m. or after 8 p.m. to avoid the storm.
If you’re doing the get-away to the Eastern Shore today you may have to make the drive in thunderstorms so either leave before 2pm or after 8pm. Once there, the weather will be great for the weekend in @OCMaryland and @rehoboth_beach. Don’t forget the SPF pic.twitter.com/1inaq5uVEK
— Chuck Bell (@ChuckBell4) May 23, 2019
The Memorial Day weekend is still looking quite warm and mainly dry, said Bell. Friday and Saturday are shaping up to be the driest of the long weekend. Friday will be in the low 80s with low humidity. Saturday will be warmer, with highs in the mid- to upper 80s, but similarly dry.
Sunday will most likely be the hottest an most humid day of the weekend, with a chance to hit the low 90s. It will also see the weekend’s first chance for storms in the afternoon.
Memorial Day itself could turn out to be the wettest day of the weekend, with a 30% chance of thunderstorms and highs in the mid- to upper 80s.
Beach Forecast
Ocean City, Maryland
Ocean City’s forecast is much the same as for the D.C. area, but a little cooler in temperature: Warm and dry to start, but Saturday’s high will dip into the upper 60s. Rain chances are also present, but lower than in our region. Memorial Day has the highest chance for rain, at about 20%.
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach also looks like a winning choice for the long weekend. Friday’s high temperatures should be in the mid- to upper 70s, with no chance of rain. Saturday will be warm, with highs in the upper 80s. Sunday will be in the mid-80s with a very low chance for rain. Monday once again carries the highest chance for rain of the weekend, at 20% for the day.
Rehoboth, Delaware
The beaches of Delaware look to be the best bet if you’re hoping to beat the heat this weekend. Friday and Saturday in Rehoboth have highs in the low to mid-70s. Sunday could reach the 80s, but only just. Monday drops back down into the mid-70s. Rain chances are low throughout the entire weekend.
Bethany Beach, Delaware
The forecast for Bethany looks very similar to Rehoboth, but a few degrees cooler each day and lower humidity.
Duck, North Carolina
The Outer Banks of North Carolina are a good bet if you’re worried about weekend storms, but it will be fairly warm all weekend. Friday is coolest of all, with highs in the mid-70s. After that, each day will be in the low 80s, but rain chances are low.
Traffic
The Memorial Day Parade will bring a number of road closures around the D.C. area, but other events in the region could make leaving the area a little tricky. Keep an eye out on the WTOP Traffic page so you can avoid any major traffic incidents as you head out of the area.
If you’re staying in D.C. for the weekend, note that the last Rolling Thunder ride will bring about road closures.
The Cone Zone
Before you head out, check WTOP’s Cone Zone blog for areas that may be shut down due to road work or other infrastructure projects so you don’t get caught off-guard.
