4 things to know about the weather
- Record dry spell continues
- Cool & cloudy today
- Nice Election Day weather
- Tropics becoming active
Our flash drought will continue to intensify over the next week as no significant amount of rain is in the forecast.
Monday will be our 32nd consecutive day without measurable rainfall in D.C. The all-time record of 34 days set in the fall of 2007 is now expected to be tied on Wednesday and, perhaps, broken on Thursday.
After a cool and sunny weekend, warmer and more humid air will begin moving back into the area Monday. That warm front will lead to quite a bit of cloud cover but the air near the surface is dry enough to keep any rain from falling.
Daytime highs will be very near average in the low 60s. Clouds and south winds will keep most areas above 50° Monday night so early morning voters Tuesday will only need a light jacket or sweatshirt. Increasing southerly winds and sunshine will bring temperatures into the mid-70s Tuesday afternoon.
Weather radar
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A small chance of rain and warmer weather ahead
A storm moving into the Ohio Valley will send clouds our way by Wednesday afternoon as temperatures climb to near 80° or higher once again. The records for Wednesday are 81° at Dulles and 84° at Reagan National and could be tied or broken.
That storm will send a cold front through our area on Thursday bringing at least a small chance at a few passing showers with highs near 70°. Dry weather will return for Friday and Saturday with another rain chance on Sunday.
The National Hurricane Center is likely to assign the name "Rafael" to a gathering storm in the Caribbean sometime today. Rafael is likely to be a hurricane as it crosses over western Cuba on Wednesday and reaches the central Gulf of Mexico on Thursday.
What happens to Rafael after that is less certain. It is likely to weaken by the end of the week but could still bring stormy conditions to the northern Gulf Coast by the weekend. Stay tuned for updates.
10-day forecast
Quickcast
TODAY:
Mostly Cloudy
Staying Dry
Seasonably Cool
Wind: Southeast 4-8 mph
Chance Of Rain: 0%
HIGHS: 60° - 65°
TONIGHT:
Mostly Cloudy
Cool
Patchy Fog
Wind: South 4-8 mph
Chance Of Rain: 0%
LOWS: 48° - 54°
TUESDAY:
Cloudy Morning
Afternoon Clearing
Breezy And Warmer
Wind: Southwest 10-10 mph
Chance Of Rain: 0%
HIGHS: 72° - 78°
WEDNESDAY:
Warm And Breezy
Increasing Clouds
Isolated Shower Possible
Chance Of Rain: 20%
Wind: Southwest 10-18 mph
HIGHS: 76° - 82°
THURSDAY:
Mostly Cloudy
Mild And Humid
Widely Scattered Showers
Wind: Northwest 5-10 mph
Chance Of Rain: 30%
HIGHS: 68° - 74°
Sunrise 6:39 Sunset 5:04
Average High: 62° Average Low: 45°
