WASHINGTON — Summer officially begins at 6:51 a.m. on Saturday but we’ll get a taste of summer all this work week. In fact, temperatures are going to be slightly warmer this week compared to last week and we will have the humidity along for the warm ride as well.
A heat wave is defined as three or more consecutive days with temperatures of 90 degrees or higher. I definitely think we’ll take a stab at marking down our first heat wave of the season this week.
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High temperatures are in the forecast for the week. (Lauryn Ricketts/WJLA)
High pressure off the East Coast will continue to pump in warm and humid air from the Deep South. In fact, that high pressure will remain at least through the middle of the work week and quite possibly through the end of the week which will be the culprit for our temperatures up and over that 90 degree mark.
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Weather for the week ahead. (Lauryn Ricketts/WJLA)
Wednesday will certainly be the hottest day we’ve seen yet this year with temperatures reaching into the mid 90s.
Remember, with the combined humidity, our heat index values (opposite of wind chill) could be approaching 100 degrees! Just plan to limit your time outside this week and drink plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. Try to reduce strenuous activity during the daytime hours, but if you must, plan an early morning or a late evening workout. Be sure to check on the elderly since they are especially susceptible to heat related illnesses.
Also please think about your pets.
Monday through Wednesday, we’ll have a few disturbances passing through the region. That will give us chances to see some showers and thunderstorms as they interact with the warm and humid air mass. However, we only have small chances of seeing showers and thunderstorms Monday through Wednesday afternoon and evenings.
By Thursday, a cold front will begin to push south of the area giving us a better chance for some showers and thunderstorms. Unfortunately, it looks like our lucky streak of perfect weather on the weekends could come to an end.
That frontal system will stall out just to the south of us from Friday and into the weekend, dropping our daytime highs into the 80s. That gives us unsettled weather through the weekend with daily chances of showers and thunderstorms.
Welcome to summer in the D.C. area.
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