Severe thunderstorms along the Interstate 66, Route 50 and Route 7 corridors pelted the area with rain as D.C.-area drivers muddled through a slick afternoon commute. Here’s what you need to know.
The WTOP Traffic Center reported multiple crashes along Route 7 in the Tysons area during a period a “wet and slow rush hour” on the Capital Beltway, WTOP Traffic reporter Dave Dildine said.
Storm debris also blocked a part of Route 50 in Upperville, Virginia. In Route 15 north of Lucketts in Virginia near St. Clair Lane and through the Maryland suburbs, Dildine said it was wetter and slower on many portions of the freeway like Interstate 270.
Heavy rain along Interstate 270 and Interstate 70 from Rockville to Germantown made for a commute that was “very difficult to drive,” WTOP meteorologist Mike Stinneford said.
A band of storms brought blinding rainfall stretching in the Plains area north around Brambleton, Ashburn and up to the Leesburg area, Stinneford said.
On Interstate 95, heavy rain descended from the Capital Beltway all the way to Baltimore, including Columbia and Ellicott City in Maryland.
“So very low visibilities here, very gusty winds too on I-66 as you head out toward Front Royal, get around the Marshall area, and you’re into a band of some really heavy thunderstorms right now,” Stinneford said.
And it’s not over yet, as more storms come in from the west in the next hours, with a severe thunderstorm watch in effect until 8 p.m. Wednesday.
Earlier in the day saw sizzling temperatures up to 95 degrees at Reagan National Airport, but a cooler night is on the way, still with continuing showers, however.
Storms far west of D.C. led to a few severe thunderstorm warnings Wednesday afternoon. The National Weather Service advised people in areas with active warnings to move indoors.
A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia until 8 PM EDT
鈥� NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash)
The chance for severe storms comes as the region is experiencing an early-season heat wave, with highs in the 90s.
The heat saw records broken Wednesday.聽Dulles International Airport set a new record high of 95, beating the previous record of 93 set in 1996. BWI Marshall tied its record of 95, set in 1962, Stinneford said.
But temperatures are expected to fall overnight.
Temperatures will plummet into the 50s and 60s Wednesday night. After three consecutive days of heat, Thursday and Friday will see cool, damp conditions with temperatures tumbling by more than 25 degrees.
The Memorial Day weekend appears to be a wet one, starting with clouds, occasional showers and areas of drizzle Saturday. Sunday will not be a complete washout, but the region could see plenty of clouds with lingering showers.
Memorial Day will see more of the same trend of cool and damp weather to start and a few breaks of sun by the afternoon. Temperatures recover into the low to mid-70s with light winds.
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Full forecast
WEDNESDAY EVENING:
Showers, Thunderstorms
Temperatures: 80s to 70s
Winds: Southwest 5-15 mph
A severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect until 8 p.m. for the District, much of Maryland, northern Virginia and nearby areas. Scattered thunderstorms will continue tracking east northeast through the evening commute before gradually weakening later tonight. Some storms may produce damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph, frequent lightning, torrential downpours and isolated hail up to quarter size. Heavy rain may lead to ponding on roads and slower travel during the evening drive, especially where storms repeatedly move over the same locations. Temperatures fall from the 80s this evening into the 60s overnight as cooler and less humid air slowly filters into the DMV behind the front.
OVERNIGHT:
Lingering Showers
Lows: 60s
Winds: North 5-10 mph
Showers linger at times overnight as the cold front slowly pushes south. Temperatures drop sharply compared to recent nights with lows settling into the upper 50s to lower 60s by daybreak. Winds gradually turn northerly with noticeably less humidity arriving toward morning.
THURSDAY:
Cloudy, Scattered Showers
Highs: 62-68
Winds: Northeast 5-10 mph
Clouds, showers and a very different feel settle in behind the front. Temperatures will hold nearly steady through much of the day, mainly in the low to mid 60s, with a few spots briefly reaching the upper 60s. Northeast winds around 5 to 10 mph will add to the cool, damp feel. Showers are likely at times, especially during the morning and midday, with gray skies holding firm through the afternoon.
FRIDAY:
Scattered Showers
Highs: near 60
Winds: Northeast 5-10 mph
Cool and damp conditions continue. Temperatures may struggle to get out of the 60s under cloudy skies and periods of light rain or showers. Onshore flow keeps the pattern unsettled with a stalled front lingering nearby.
SATURDAY:
Mostly Cloudy, Showers
Highs: 60s
Winds: East 5-10 mph
Not a washout, but certainly not ideal pool or beach weather. Mostly cloudy skies continue with scattered showers possible at times, especially during the afternoon and evening. Temperatures remain stuck mainly in the 60s with a chilly east wind making it feel cooler. Gray skies will likely dominate much of the day.
CURRENT CONDITIONS
WTOP’s Jessica Kronzer and Abigail Constantino contributed to this report.
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