Friday’s weather came close to breaking record highs in the D.C. region with temperatures nearing 90 degrees. Now, we’re looking ahead to a wet and wild weekend.
After Thursday’s dry heat, Friday was “manageably hot,” at least according to 7News First Alert Meteorologist Steve Rudin.
Rudin said records were “in jeopardy” near the Capital Region’s three airports. The current record for highest spring temperatures of 89 degrees at Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, was set in 1976.
Despite the nearly record-breaking temperatures, the heat shouldn’t bring humidity with it into this weekend. However, the Council of Governments placed its second Code Orange warning of the year, noting that air levels could be unhealthy for sensitive groups including people with asthma and other respiratory illnesses, as well as children, older adults and anyone who works or plans to exercise outside.
Tomorrow (Saturday): Widely scattered severe storms are possible from parts of the Carolinas into the Mid Atlantic states during the afternoon & evening. Damaging gusts, large hail, and perhaps a brief tornado are possible.
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— National Weather Service (@NWS) April 21, 2023
The areas closest to D.C. are considered in a moderate drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
After peaking at 87 degrees midday Friday, a cold front will move in overnight, knocking temps down to the mid-70s, and bringing with it some much-needed rain for the region until sunset on Saturday.
About an inch of rainfall is expected to overspread the mid-Atlantic area before drying up again overnight. Southerly winds are forecast to bring gusts up to 30 mph. According to the National Weather Service, our region is in for a slight risk of scattered thunderstorms with some potentially hazardous wind gusts.
With the risk of damaging winds, hail and even a possible isolated tornado, 7News First Alert Weather is on a Severe Alert for the late morning into the evening on Saturday.
Sunday will be cooler and dryer, with northerly breezes cooling the region into the 60s. But don’t put your rainboots back in storage yet, next week is set to give the region the rain residents have been dancing for with a 40% chance from Thursday into the weekend.
Forecast
FRIDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. Winds: South 5-10 mph. Lows in the 60s.
SATURDAY: Severe Alert. Moderate to heavy rain, windy and thunderstorms. Winds: South 10-20 mph, and gusts to 30 mph. Highs in the mid-70s to 80 degrees.
SUNDAY: Mostly sunny and breezy. Winds: Northwest 10-20 mph. Highs in the low to mid-60s.
MONDAY: Frost/freeze alert possibly in effect. Dry and cooler. Highs in the mid-60s.
Current Conditions
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