7:00 AM | *Strong-to-severe thunderstorm threat late today/tonight...weekend hurricane threat in the Gulf*
Paul Dorian
6-Day forecast for the DC metro region
Today
Mainly cloudy with a few showers possible this morning, maybe an isolated morning thunderstorm, another round of late day showers and thunderstorms are likely, some of the late day storms can be strong-to-severe with heavy rainfall, warm, humid, highs in the upper 80's
Tonight
Showers and thunderstorms likely in the evening, some of the storms can be strong-to-severe with heavy rainfall, remaining mainly cloudy after midnight, mild, muggy, lower 70’s for overnight lows
Friday
Partly sunny, breezy, quite warm, still rather humid, cannot rule out a shower or thunderstorm, upper 80’s for afternoon highs
Friday Night
Partly cloudy, mild, upper 60’s for overnight lows
Saturday
Mainly sunny, quite warm, near 90 degrees
Sunday
Mainly sunny, quite warm, near 90 degrees
Monday
Mainly sunny, very warm, near 90 degrees
Tuesday
Mainly sunny, very warm, chance of a shower or thunderstorm, near 90 degrees
Discussion
A strong cold front will approach the region later today and bring with it isolated morning showers and thunderstorms and likely a round of late day and evening showers and thunderstorms. Any late day/evening thunderstorm can be strong-to-severe with heavy rainfall and potential localized flash flooding. The front drops southeast of here on Friday, but a residual shower or thunderstorm cannot be ruled out and the end of the work week will continue to feature quite warm conditions. Elsewhere, intensification was slow overnight in a tropical system now over the Gulf of Mexico, but that should become more rapid over the next 24 hours. As such, it is likely this system will reach named tropical storm status later today or tonight (to be called Barry) and it could reach hurricane status by the weekend. It appears this system will drift west for much of today and then take a turn to the north-to-northwest by the weekend and perhaps end up making landfall in central Louisiana. Tremendous rainfall amounts are likely with “Barry” in the central Gulf coast region; especially, over southern Louisiana where more than a foot can fall over the next couple of days and the Mississippi River is already running at high levels from springtime rains and snow melt. Looking ahead, it is possible that the remains of Barry has an impact here in a week or so as it potentially takes a track from the southern states into the Mid-Atlantic region.
Meteorologist Paul Dorian
Perspecta, Inc.
perspectaweather.com