Desperately needed rain hits DC area. Weekend sees return of scorching temps

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After a prolonged heat wave pushed feels-like temperatures into the triple digits throughout the D.C. area, things are cooling off on a rainy Friday.

However, this weekend could bring a bit of a weather roller coaster, including showers and a few rumbles of thunder on Friday evening and a return to sweltering temperatures ahead of a truly scorching week ahead. Here’s what you need to know:

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A cold front that pushed through Wednesday night has brought some lower temperatures to the area and lower humidity. Thursday brought a refreshing, however slight, drop in temperatures and humidity with increased cloud coverage.

On Friday, scattered showers and the possibility of a few thunderstorms will be present throughout the day. The area could see about a half-inch to an inch of rainfall with higher humidity.

“The good news is we really do need this rain with our ongoing drought conditions. We’re also getting some heat relief today with temperatures only around 80 and the heat index only up to 82 or 83 during the afternoon as well,” said 7News First Alert Meteorologist Jordan Evans.

A flood watch is in effect until 10 a.m. Saturday for St. Mary’s, Calvert and Anne Arundel counties, according to the National Weather Service.

Northern Virginia has been under a drought warning since last month, and the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin said there are moderate to severe drought conditions in the Potomac River Watershed.

The parched conditions are also affecting local farms, with ponds used for irrigation receding and even some of the livestock feeling a little tuckered out from the extreme heat.

Heat roars back this weekend

How is the forecast shaping up for the rest of the weekend?

Lingering showers are possible through Saturday morning before the sun peeks through, creating partly sunny conditions for the afternoon.

“Depending on how much rain ends up falling (Friday), there could be a very marginal flood risk over (Southern Maryland) as well. However, again, with the antecedent conditions being so dry, just don`t see it being a widespread threat at this time,” the NWS said in its forecast.

Then, comes another round of heat.

High temperatures climb back to the 90s on Saturday and, on Sunday, those feels-like temperatures will shoot past the 100-degree mark once again, according to the 7News meteorologists.

Even hotter weather is on tap for early next week.

The heat wave earlier this week brought six back-to-back days of high temperatures of 97 degrees or higher, spurring numerous heat advisories and, tragically, leading to seven heat-related deaths in the D.C. area.

“For Monday and Tuesday, forecast high temperatures are slated to reach the century mark across portions of the area,” NWS said.

Maryland has seen a spike in emergency calls for heat-related illnesses over the past week, according to state data, and has recorded six heat-related deaths so far this summer. Last year, there were nine total.

There has been one heat-related death in Virginia so far this year, a spokesperson for the Virginia Department of Health told WTOP in an email.

Current weather

Forecast:

FRIDAY NIGHT:
Scattered Showers
Lows: 68-75
Winds: Northeast 5 mph
Scattered showers continue into the overnight with lows settling to the upper 60s to mid-70s by dawn.

SATURDAY:
Isolated Showers, Storms
Highs: 90s
Winds: Southwest 5-10 mph
Heat begins to build once again across the Mid-Atlantic with highs back into the low 90s and heat index values in the mid-90s. Isolated showers and storms are likely.

SUNDAY:
Mostly Sunny
Pop-Up Showers
Highs: 93-98
Winds: Southwest 5-10 mph
High temperatures climb back to the middle to upper 90s Sunday with feels-like temperatures surpassing 100 degrees over many neighborhoods. Even hotter weather is in the forecast early next week.

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