WASHINGTON — Get ready for a volatile Mother’s Day. Weather-wise, that is.
The D.C. area will get a preview of sweltering summer heat on Saturday with forecast highs just a few drops of mercury shy of century-old records, before a northern front moves in bringing a strong likelihood of showers and a range of temperatures across the region.
Starting Saturday, temperatures start out in the 60s first thing in the morning and continue climbing through the day into the low 90s.
The record high temperature for May 11 for D.C. is 93 degrees, which was set in 1914. “So more than a 100-year-old record is in jeopardy tomorrow,” said Storm Team4 meteorologist.
Later in the day, a sagging front from the north brings a 30 percent chance of thunderstorms — after about 5 or 6 p.m., Bell said.
“Some of those could pack a little bit of a punch, so keep sort of a weather eye to the sky late in the day,” he said.
The northern front sticks around through Sunday, bringing slightly cooler temperatures — highs of about 80 degrees — and a 60 percent chance of showers, bell said.
But nailing down exact temperatures for Sunday is difficult.
If the front wavers, it could cause temperatures to dip to as low as the high 60s in Frederick, Maryland, to the 90s in Fredericksburg, Virginia, Bell said.
“So just know a big range of possibilities coming up on Sunday,” Bell said.
So far this May is off to a ridiculously warm and dry start. The complete opposite of the past 2 years and eerily similar to 2015 which ended up being the hottest May on record and 2″ below avg in rainfall. This does NOT bode well for the summer ahead. pic.twitter.com/TJXRneO0b6
— Chuck Bell (@ChuckBell4) May 11, 2018
Already, May is off to a “ridiculously warm and dry start,” Bell said on Twitter. Temperatures this month are 7.8 degrees warmer than average. That’s the complete opposite of 2017 and 2016 when May temperatures were slightly cooler than average — and about on par with 2016, which was hottest May on record.
For those fearing a summer scorching, “This does NOT bode well for the summer ahead,” Bell said.
