The weather will take a turn for the cloudy in the D.C. area this Labor Day. Summer’s last call also runs the risk of ending in showers and storms.
A cold front move into the area later in the day, and with it some showers.
“Most of the day will be dry in the DMV until the late afternoon to early evening when a few spits of light rain arrive,” Storm Team4 meteorologist Chad Merrill said.
The wet weather could impact evening commuters as it’s expected to start between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.
The holiday will be warm and humid. Temperatures will be peak in the mid-80s.
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Along Interstate-81 and west of the blue ridge, Labor Day will be consistently rainy.
The D.C. area should see rain with rumbles of thunder Monday night into early Tuesday as a low pressure center slides along the front.
“The steadiest period of rain in the DMV will occur Tuesday, best chance between 5 a.m. and 4 p.m.,” Merrill said.
The highest chance of flooding will be along and west of the Blue Ridge — that region is under a flood watch starting Monday afternoon. But be on the lookout for potential flood watches in the D.C. area.
Tuesday afternoon looks just as cloudy with occasional showers and highs near 80.
Wednesday will still be gray and unsettled with the front just south of Washington, so we may still see a leftover shower or two with cooler-than-average highs in the upper 70s. By the end of the workweek, we anticipate drier air to arrive, allowing some sun to return later Thursday with highs near 80.
Fun facts on Labor Day weather
Some fun facts on Labor Day weather over the past two decades in the D.C. area, courtesy of Merrill:
- The average high on Labor Day is 85 degrees.
- 10 out of the last 20 Labor Days were dry. Half of the days were dry and half featured at least trace amounts of rain.
- Wettest Labor Day was Sept. 5, 2011 with 1.36 inches of rain.
- Hottest Labor Day was Sept. 1, 2014 (earliest that Labor Day can be in the month) with 95 degrees.
- Coolest Labor Day was Sept. 6, 2004 with a high of 76 degrees.
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Forecast:
LABOR DAY, MONDAY: Increasing clouds. Showers west of I-81. A few showers late in the afternoon. Near 80.
MONDAY NIGHT: Cloudy with showers. Flooding possible west of the Blue Ridge. Lows in the lower 70s.
TUESDAY: Cloudy with heavy showers. Flooding possible. Highs: low 80s.
WEDNESDAY: Early showers, then mostly cloudy. Highs: Upper 70s to lower 80s.
THURSDAY: Mostly sunny. Highs: Around 80.
FRIDAY: Mostly sunny. Low humidity. Highs: Low 80s.
