DC area hits record highs Wednesday as heat wave moves through East Coast

The D.C. region is getting an early blast of summer, as the heat wave has broken records across the area.

Temps reached 90 degrees at Reagan National Airport, topping the record of 89 set in 1941. Dulles saw a high of 91, breaking the record of 87 from 1967. BWI hit 91, surpassing the high of 88 from 1941.

Those temperatures are 20 to 25 degrees warmer than normal for this time of year, said 7太子探花 First Alert Meteorologist Eileen Whelan.

“Temperatures will be slow to fall out of the 80s this evening and then will bottom out in the upper 60s tonight,” Whelan said.

The hot weather will continue, with the possibility for record highs again Thursday.

Thursday evening into Friday there may be isolated showers or a storm. But the warmer weather will stick around with highs in the mid-80s.

Expect the heat to finally cool down Sunday, as a cold front is set to move in. Whelan said it will be like a “washout day,” and cooler temperatures will lead into a more breezy Monday.

The District is just one of the major cities on the East Coast experiencing a heat wave with hot air blowing through the region, causing record high temperatures.

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FORECAST聽聽聽聽

WEDNESDAY NIGHT:
Partly Cloudy
Lows:听65-72
Winds: Southwest 5-10 mph
It will be an exceptionally mild night for the middle of April, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures only slipping to the mid 60s and lower 70s early Thursday morning. That is more typical of late spring or even early summer than mid April. The warmth will likely put record warm low temperatures in serious danger. For April 16, the record warm low at Reagan National is 65, and at Dulles it is 63, both set in 2017. If temperatures stay as warm as forecast through daybreak, those records could easily be tied or broken. A light southwest breeze continues overnight, which should help keep the air mixed enough to prevent much cooling.

THURSDAY:
Partly Cloudy, Hot
Evening Showers, Storm Chances
Highs: 90-95
Winds: Southwest 5-10 mph
Record: DCA:聽92 |聽IAD:聽91
Another day of record challenging heat is on the way. Highs once again reach the lower 90s under partly sunny skies. Southwest winds pick up, occasionally gusting to around 20 miles per hour. At Reagan National, the record high for April 16 is 92, and this forecast is right there. Dulles has a record of 91, so that will be close as well. It stays dry through most of the day, with very warm and somewhat dry air in place. Thursday night also stays quite mild, with lows around 70, and that is above the record warm lows for April 17 at both sites. Reagan National鈥檚 record warm low for April 17 is 65, while Dulles is 59.聽

FRIDAY:
Partly Cloudy, Stray Thunderstorms and Showers
Highs:听80-86
奥颈苍诲蝉:听Northwest 10-20 mph
Still warm, but not quite as extreme as the previous days. Highs ease back into the mid 80s with a mix of sun and clouds. There is a chance of stay thundershowers developing, especially after 2 in the afternoon, as a front gets closer. Even with the slight cooldown, temperatures remain above normal. Winds shift to the northwest and can gust up to around 20 miles per hour.

SATURDAY:
Mostly Sunny
Highs:听85-90
Winds:聽Southwest: 10-15 mph
Saturday stays very warm and well above normal, with highs reaching the upper 80s under mostly sunny skies. It will still feel more like late May than the middle of April. In fact, this looks like one more day of unusually warm weather before the pattern finally begins to shift. Most of the daylight hours appear dry, so much of Saturday should be good for outdoor plans. As the day goes on, though, clouds will start to increase and the atmosphere becomes a bit more unsettled heading into Saturday night. A chance of showers develops later Saturday night as a stronger cold front approaches, setting the stage for a much bigger change to wrap up the weekend.

SUNDAY:
Areas of Rain, Breezy
Highs:听65-70
Winds:聽Northwest 10-15, Gusts to 25 mph
Sunday brings a much different feel across the DMV. Skies turn cloudy, showers become more likely, and temperatures take a noticeable step down from the warmth of the past several days. Highs only reach the 60s to lower 70s. The front moving through will knock temperatures back in a hurry, and by the end of the day it will start to feel much more like a typical April pattern again. Showers remain possible into Sunday night before the system pulls away, and cooler air really settles in by late night with lows dropping into the 40s.

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