Wednesday began hot and muggy, but a line of late-afternoon storms brought high winds, heavy rains and hail to parts of the D.C. area before delivering cooler temperatures for the evening.
Most of the area will remain dry for the remainder of the night with only a few isolated downpours and storms.
Temperatures rose into the low 90s ahead of thunderstorms. Wind gusts of up to 60 mph and half-dollar-sized hail were reported with some of the storms, according to the National Weather Service.
The storms brought on a dip in temperatures Wednesday night.
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While Wednesday night’s storms helped temperatures fall, the heat will remain this week.
Thursday and Friday will be hot and very humid with highs in the low to mid 90s and feels-like temperatures around 100 degrees. An isolated shower or storm is possible from the heat and humidity, but most of the area will stay dry.
With the heat expected for the next couple of days, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser extended the city’s heat emergency plan through Saturday, opening dozens of cooling centers across the city and warning against strenuous outdoor activity whenever avoidable.
More information on dealing with extreme heat — including learning the symptoms of heat exhaustion, transportation to shelters and advice for pet owners — can be found on D.C.’s heat emergency page. A map of the District’s various cooling centers is available online.
With extreme heat, the city offers these tips:
- Stay indoors in the air conditioning.
- Check on your neighbors. If somebody needs transportation to a cooling center, call the shelter hotline at 202-399-7093.
- Drink plenty of water and wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothes.
- Do not leave children or pets in vehicles. Call the Humane Rescue Alliance at 202-723-5730, if you see pets in cars.
- Walk dogs early in the morning, and give pets plenty of water.
A more significant chance for heavy rain comes Saturday with a cold front dipping into the region from lower Canada. Though exact timing is still uncertain, its passage will bring somewhat cooler air for Sunday — which, if the forecast holds true, could be the first day in over a week with highs under 90.
“This pattern will favor some drying out early next week with afternoon highs remaining below 90 for four to five days,” Storm Team4 meteorologist Chuck Bell said. “Do your best to beat the heat. Stay hydrated and limit your time in the midafternoon sun.”
Forecast:
- Wednesday night: Isolated showers or storms otherwise mainly clear and muggy. Lows in the upper 60s to mid 70s.
- Thursday: Mostly sunny, hot and humid. Highs in the low to mid 90s.
- Friday: Partly sunny, hot and humid. Scattered afternoon showers. Highs in the upper 80s to low 90s.
- Saturday: Partly sunny, hot and humid. Scattered afternoon showers. Highs in the upper 80s to low 90s.
- Sunday: Partly to mostly cloudy. Still humid but not as hot. A chance for showers later in the day. Highs in the low to mid 80s.
