Thunderstorms battered parts of the D.C. area Thursday, but with most of the severe weather gone from the region, the weekend looks to be a beauty. Here’s what you need to know.
The threat of severe weather for the WTOP listening area has mostly lifted, Storm Team4 meteorologist Steve Prinzivalli said.
The afternoon storms headed south of Culpeper in the city of Orange, Virginia, by 8 p.m. Thursday. A flash flood warning has been activated in parts of Spotsylvania and Madison counties in Virginia until 10 p.m., as well as a severe thunderstorm watch until midnight.
Earlier, Arcola and South Riding saw storms moving southeast at 20 mph, and Ashburn was struck by a thunderstorm around 4:30 p.m.
Meteorologists predicted some heavy storms, with damaging wind gusts, large hail, including an isolated tornado; and the potential for severe weather triggered severe thunderstorm warnings and watches though the D.C. area. Thursday afternoon.
But it wasn’t just thunderstorms that settled over the region, there was also the heat.
In D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser activated the District’s Heat Emergency Plan for Thursday:
When the forecast of the temperature or heat index in the District is 95 degrees or higher, District Government implements the Heat Emergency Plan and activates cooling centers for residents to seek relief from the heat. A list of District cooling center locations is available at heat.dc.gov.
Friday will be partly cloudy, breezy, and hot but with lowering humidity with a 20% chance of an afternoon storm.
What’s in store for the weekend is a “spectacular,” comfortable, cooler-than-average weather, Prinzivalli said.
“High over the Great Lakes will supply a refreshing northwesterly breeze that will bring glorious weather to the WTOP listening area,” Prinzivalli said.
That means sunny, breezy and pleasant with high in the upper 70s to near 80, both Saturday and Sunday, Father’s Day.
“The terrific weather will continue into Monday with sunshine and highs again in the upper 70s,” Prinzivalli said.
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Forecast
THURSDAY NIGHT: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly before midnight. Lows in the upper 60s to mid 70s.
FRIDAY: Mostly sunny, breezy and hot. A chance of a late day thunderstorm. Highs in the mid- to upper 90s.
SATURDAY: Mostly sunny, breezy, cooler and less humid. Highs near 80.
SUNDAY: Mostly sunny and breezy. Highs near 80.
