Washington is starting Monday, August 3, under cloudy skies with temperatures around 75 degrees, but the bigger story is waiting in the afternoon: another round of thunderstorms could bring locally heavy rain and flash flooding. The city should reach about 87 degrees as the air turns warmer, wetter and increasingly uncomfortable.
Showers and thunderstorms are possible through the morning, with rain chances easing briefly before additional storms redevelop this afternoon. The National Weather Service says slow-moving storms could overwhelm urban or poor-drainage areas, even though the overnight Flood Watch was dropped.
Afternoon Storms Could Disrupt Outdoor Plans
Most of Monday’s rain chances arrive from late morning through the afternoon, with the forecast carrying a 50% chance of precipitation and rainfall totals generally between a tenth and a quarter inch. A stronger storm could still dump much more rain in a short period, with lightning and sudden downpours complicating parks, patios and the evening commute.
Storm chances fade after 7 p.m., and skies turn mostly cloudy overnight as temperatures fall to around 70 degrees. Winds shift north at about 5 mph, bringing a little relief from the daytime mugginess.
Brief Break Tuesday, Stormier Pattern Returns
Tuesday looks like the week’s cleanest window, with partly sunny skies, a high near 86 and only a slight shower risk during the day. That break is short-lived: showers and thunderstorms become likely Wednesday, when the high reaches 88 and the chance of rain rises to about 60%.
Heat Builds As Storm Chances Linger
Thursday and Friday turn hotter, with highs near 91 and 92 degrees and afternoon thunderstorm chances around 40% and 30%. More storms remain possible Saturday and Sunday, while rising humidity could push heat indexes close to 100 degrees across the metro area later in the week.
For Monday, keep weather alerts on, avoid driving through standing water and head indoors when thunder is audible. The pattern is not an all-day washout, but repeated downpours could quickly flood low spots and create dangerous conditions with little warning.
