7:00 AM | Back to more typical summer-like weather for a few days, but comfortable air returns for the weekend

6-Day Forecast

Today

Mostly sunny, very warm, more humid, highs in the upper 80’s

Tonight

Mostly clear, mild, muggy, lows by morning near 70 degrees

Wednesday

Mainly sunny, very warm, humid, chance for afternoon showers and thunderstorms, near 90

Wednesday Night

Partly cloudy, mild, muggy, chance for showers and thunderstorms, low 70’s

Thursday

Partly sunny, very warm, humid, showers and thunderstorms likely, upper 80’s

Friday

Mostly sunny, lowering humidity, warm, mid-to-upper 80’s

Saturday

Mostly sunny, comfortably warm, low-to-mid 80’s

Sunday

Mostly sunny, comfortably warm, low-to-mid 80’s

Discussion

High pressure will build into the Mid-Atlantic region today and the result will be plenty of sunshine and noticeably warmer and more humid conditions. In fact, by tomorrow afternoon most locations along the I-95 corridor between DC and NYC should end up near the 90 degree mark. This return to more summer-like heat and humidity, however, will not last all that long. A cool front will approach the region on Thursday resulting in an increased chance for showers and thunderstorms and then more comfortable air will return to the Mid-Atlantic for the upcoming weekend. Elsewhere, the Atlantic remains rather quiet for the time being as far as tropical activity is concerned, but the sun has become somewhat more active with numerous sunspots now visible on the Earth-facing side.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/F8aPHlFEL_E

7:00 AM | A return to typical summer-like for the mid-week time period

6-Day Forecast

Today

Mostly cloudy, still below normal temperatures, chance for showers and thunderstorms, highs near 80 degrees

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, mild, still the chance for showers and thunderstorms, lows by morning in the mid 60’s

Tuesday

Partly sunny, warmer, more humid, upper 80’s

Tuesday Night

Partly cloudy, mild, upper 60’s

Wednesday

Partly sunny, very warm, humid, chance for a shower and thunderstorm, near 90

Thursday

Partly sunny, very warm, humid, showers and thunderstorms possible, near 90

Friday

Partly sunny, warm, chance for showers and thunderstorms, upper 80’s

Saturday

Mostly sunny, comfortably warm, mid 80’s

Discussion

Moisture along the east coast will keep many clouds around in the local area for today, but then high pressure will build into the region tomorrow and a warm up will ensue as sunshine amounts increase. Temperatures remained below normal over the weekend following the quite cool weather last week and will again today, but the mid-week time period will feature highs near 90 degrees with noticeably higher humidity levels as well. A cool front will then approach the region later this week increasing our chances for showers and thunderstorms on Thursday and Friday, and more comfortable conditions will likely return by this upcoming weekend.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/vD7Iiem5lzY

3:00 PM | Shower threat increases considerably for Saturday night and Sunday and there is even a tropical connection

Discussion

The Mid-Atlantic region has experienced great weather during the past few days, but there are clouds on the horizon and the threat for rain will increase considerably during the second half of the weekend - and there is even a tropical connection to this potential rainfall. While strong high pressure has anchored itself over the northeastern part of the country in recent days providing us with our tranquil weather, the tropics have become quite active with two areas of interest.

One tropical system in the far eastern Atlantic has encountered dry air from the Saharan Desert region of African and it has actually just been downgraded from a tropical storm (named Erin) to a tropical depression in the past few hours. A second tropical system is much more of a concern for the Gulf coastal and southeastern regions of the US and could even have an impact on our weather in the Mid-Atlantic region by the latter part of the weekend. This particular system has now crossed over the Yucatan Peninsula region of Mexico and is now out over the open and warm Gulf of Mexico waters heading in a general northwest direction. Some intensification is likely over the next 24 hours as it encounters a more favorable environment for strengthening, but whether it becomes a named tropical storm it will throw a lot of moisture in the Gulf coastal region and the southeastern part of the country. Some of the moisture will then head northward up the east coast and showers are quite likely across the DC and Philly metro regions, Delmarva Peninsula and southern/central New Jersey - and probably as far north as NYC. The combination of clouds and potential showers will keep temperatures at cooler-than-normal levels on Sunday with 70’s likely for highs in much of the Mid-Atlantic region - even as far south as DC.

7:00 AM | High pressure loses control around here after today and clouds and showers return to the region over the weekend

6-Day Forecast

Today

Mostly sunny early, clouds late, still quite pleasant, highs near 80 degrees

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, cool, chance for a shower late, lows by morning near 60 degrees

Saturday

Mainly cloudy, cool, chance for showers, mid-to-upper 70’s

Saturday Night

Mostly cloudy, cool, chance for showers, mid 60’s

Sunday

Mainly cloudy, still cool, showers likely, mid-to-upper 70’s

Monday

Mostly cloudy, more humid, still the chance for showers and maybe a thunderstorm, near 80

Tuesday

Partly sunny, warmer, chance for a shower or thunderstorm, mid-to-upper 80’s

Wednesday

Mostly sunny, very warm, upper 80’s

Discussion

High pressure will produce another nice day around here to close out the work week, but clouds will increase overnight as the high shifts off the east coast. Enough moisture will then head northward along the east coast this weekend to generate showers around here on Saturday night and Sunday. Temperatures will continue to remain noticeably cooler-than-normal right through the weekend, but a warm up is likely by the middle of next week.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/RtbFkJalGPg

7:00 AM | Nice weather continues in the Mid-Atlantic through Friday, but the shower threat returns this weekend; tropics quite active

6-Day Forecast

Today

Mostly sunny, pleasant, highs in the upper 70’s

Tonight

Mostly clear, pleasantly cool, lows in the upper 50’s

Friday

Mostly sunny early, clouds late, comfortable, near 80

Friday Night

Mostly cloudy, cool, low-to-mid 60’s

Saturday

Mostly cloudy, cool, chance for showers, mid-to-upper 70's

Sunday

Mostly cloudy, more humid, still on the cool side, showers possible, upper 70's

Monday

Mostly cloudy, humid, chance for more showers, low 80’s

Tuesday

Partly sunny, warmer, mid-to-upper 80’s

Discussion

High pressure has anchored itself over the northeastern part of the country and our nice weather that began yesterday will continue right through tomorrow. This weekend, however, will see the high pressure shift off the east coast and a low pressure area will develop just off the Mid-Atlantic coastline by later in the weekend. As a result, clouds should increase around here tomorrow night and the threat for showers will return for Saturday and Sunday and perhaps even for Monday as well. Temperatures should generally remain on the cool side of normal right through the weekend, but there will be a warmup next week.

Elsewhere, the tropics are getting more and more active just as the climatological peak has arrived (mid-August through September). One disturbance over the northwest Caribbean Sea could cross the Yucatan Peninsula and head into the Gulf of Mexico during the next few days. This system could ultimately bring heavy rainfall anywhere from the central Gulf coastal region to northeastern Mexico in the next several days and it is not out of the question that some of this moisture eventually makes it up the east coast. A second system of interest that moved off the west coast of Africa only recently has intensified quickly into Tropical Storm Erin. This system will encounter some dry air as it treks to the west-northwest across the tropical Atlantic over the next few days.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/W_vLy-7ZKPA

4:25 PM | Tropics are getting active with two areas of interest

Discussion

The beginning part of the climatological peak (mid-August through September) for the Atlantic Basin tropical season has arrived and, as if right on cue, the tropics are suddenly looking more and more active after a couple of quiet weeks. There are now two disturbances of interest that could develop into named tropical systems over the next several days. The first system is more of an immediate concern and is gradually intensifying over the western part of the Caribbean Sea. This system is likely to cross right over or very near the Yucatan Peninsula over the next day or so and then head right into the Gulf of Mexico where it will encounter generally warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures. This encounter with warm Gulf waters will combine with diminishing wind shear to likely make for a rather favorable environment for development. Ultimately, this Caribbean system could have an effect along the northern Gulf coast and could even send some moisture up the east coast. Meanwhile, a second area of interest involves a tropical wave that has just moved off the west coast of Africa. This system could intensify over the next several days as it takes a westward trek across the tropical Atlantic Ocean although wind shear could play somewhat of an inhibiting role in the near term.

In addition to the generally warm sea surface temperatures that exist at this stage of the summer, these two systems have a couple of large-scale factors that may support intensification. One is that the dry air intrusion from the African Saharan Desert that has dominated the tropical scene over the eastern Atlantic in recent weeks in an inhibiting manner has seemingly lost some of its punch in recent days. Secondly, the Madden Julian Oscillation (MJO) index that tracks a large-scale tropical disturbance that propagates eastward around the global tropics is moving into an area (“phases 2 and 3”) that typically favors tropical development in the Atlantic Basin.

7:00 AM | More great weather for the DC metro region moves in today with comfortable temperatures and humidity

6-Day Forecast

Today

Mostly sunny, comfortable, refreshing breeze, highs near 80 degrees

Tonight

Mostly clear, pleasantly cool, lows in the mid-to-upper 50’s

Thursday

Mostly sunny, spectacular, near 80

Thursday Night

Mostly clear, refreshingly cool, near 60

Friday

Mainly sunny, pleasant, near 80

Saturday

Partly sunny, comfortably warm, near 80

Sunday

Becoming mostly cloudy, more humid, chance for showers, near 80

Monday

Mostly cloudy, humid, chance for showers and thunderstorms, low 80's

Discussion

After suffering through yesterday’s rainfall associated with a cool front, we’ll be rewarded with tremendous weather over the next few days featuring excellent drying conditions. Large Canadian-born high pressure will dominate the weather scene around here right into the weekend with plenty of sunshine each day and comfortable conditions.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/JtAy8wEdsFU

7:00 AM | *Heavy rainfall possible this morning as yet another cool front approaches the region*

6-Day Forecast

Today

Occasional showers and thunderstorms this morning and some of the rain will be heavy, flash flooding is a threat in many locations; otherwise, mostly cloudy this afternoon with more showers and storms possible, warm, humid, highs in the low 80’s

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, chance for an evening shower and thunderstorm, turning cooler late, lows in the low 60’s

Wednesday

Mostly sunny, spectacular, upper 70’s

Wednesday Night

Mostly clear, cool, upper 50’s

Thursday

Mainly sunny, refreshing, upper 70’s

Friday

Mostly sunny, comfortable, near 80

Saturday

Partly sunny, still comfortable, near 80

Sunday

Partly sunny, pleasant temperatures, maybe a shower, near 80

Discussion

There will be occasional showers and thunderstorms this morning and some of the rainfall will be heavy at times with flash flooding a real threat in many locations; especially, from the District to points north and east. All of this is the result of yet another strong cool front approaching the region. High pressure will follow the frontal system for the second half of the week with refreshing temperatures and comfortable humidity levels.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/wpB5G_x9ivU

3:15 PM | Perseid meteor shower peaks tonight, but viewing conditions are iffy in the Mid-Atlantic

Discussion

The annual Perseid meteor shower peaks tonight, but sky conditions are iffy in the Mid-Atlantic region. The best time to look for the meteors is between around 11pm and 5am and there is a probably a 50/50 chance for favorable viewing conditions.

The Perseid meteor shower comes every August as the Earth passes through a cloud of dust that comes from Comet Swift-Tuttle as it approaches the sun. Earth's gravity pulls in some of the chunks of debris — small rocks comprised of iron-nickel, stone, other minerals or a combination of these — which turn into bright balls of hot gas when entering Earth's atmosphere. As darkness falls, the meteors appear to come from the constellation Perseus, hence the name; although late in the evening, the meteors originate higher in the sky than the constellation.

Perseid meteoroids hit our atmosphere at ~132,000 mph to produce the annual light show and this particular meteor shower is usually rich in “fireballs” because of the size of the parent comet. Comet Swift-Tuttle has a huge nucleus – about 26 kilometers in diameter whereas most other comets are much smaller with nuclei only a few kilometers across. As a result, Comet Swift-Tuttle produces a large number of meteoroids, many of which are large enough to produce fireballs. In fact, the Perseid meteor shower is considered the “fireball champion” of all of the annual meteor showers. Typically, the meteors are only the size of pebbles, some as small as a grain of sand. This is a good year for viewing with respect to the moon as there will be little interference from the currently waxing crescent moon. Jupiter, Venus and the crescent moon will align in the eastern sky just before sunrise, but whether sky conditions will permit a view of this is up in the air.

7:00 AM | More great weather coming for the second half of the week, but more rain to get through first

6-Day Forecast

Today

Partly sunny, warm, chance for a shower and thunderstorm, highs in the mid-to-upper 80’s

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, muggy, mild, chance for a shower and thunderstorm, lows in the lower 70's

Tuesday

Mostly cloudy, warm, humid, showers and thunderstorms likely and some of the rain will be heavy at times, low 80’s

Tuesday Night

Mostly cloudy, chance for an evening shower and thunderstorm, turning cooler late, low 60’s

Wednesday

Mainly sunny, quite comfortable, upper 70’s

Thursday

Mostly sunny, refreshing, upper 70’s

Friday

Mostly sunny, still comfortable, near 80

Saturday

Partly sunny, still comfortable, near 80

Discussion

August has been cooler-than-normal so far (-1.1 degrees at DCA) an another spectacular air mass is headed our way for this time of year. The weather through tonight will be warm and humid with a spotty showers and thunderstorms, but rain is more likely on Tuesday as another cool front approaches the region and some of the rain can be heavy at times. High pressure will follow the frontal system for the mid and late week time periods bringing us the return of sunshine and very comfortable conditions for mid-August with highs likely holding at or below 80 degrees in many Mid-Atlantic locations. Elsewhere, the sun remains rather quiet as does the Atlantic tropical scene. Meanwhile, the Perseid meteor shower will peak later tonight; however, the sky conditions do not look all that favorable.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/p-ZSpAius4E