Weather Dc: DC swings from record highs to possible wet snow
Weather dc turned sharply volatile this week as record-breaking heat hit the region Tuesday afternoon, followed by an escalating storm threat Wednesday and a steep temperature drop by Thursday. Reagan National Airport reached 84 degrees, breaking the prior record of 79 set in 2016. The quick pivot from near-80s warmth to cold rain, gusty winds, and even a chance of wet snowflakes underscores how abruptly conditions can change across the DMV.
Weather Dc: Tuesday’s record at Reagan National
Tuesday’s warmth did not just flirt with old marks—it overtook them. Reagan National Airport reached 84 degrees Tuesday afternoon, shattering the previous record high of 79 degrees set in 2016. By 3: 00 p. m. ET, high temperatures had reached 84 degrees at all three major airports in the D. C. region, and by 5: 00 p. m. ET Reagan National was still at 84. Dulles International Airport reached 85 by 5: 00 p. m. ET, breaking the prior record of 80, while BWI Marshall Airport also hit 85, topping its previous record of 80 set in 2016.
The figures point to a region-wide surge rather than a single hot spot, with multiple airports breaking decadelong records on the same afternoon. Evening temperatures were expected to remain in the upper 60s with a light breeze, keeping a warm baseline in place even after the peak readings.
Taylor Grenda and Tucker Barnes forecast Wednesday risk
Tuesday’s setup was straightforward: sunny and clear conditions with highs near 80 degrees, after a mild morning in the 40s and 50s. Clear skies allowed temperatures to climb into the upper 70s to near 80, putting Reagan National’s old 79-degree record “within reach” before it was ultimately surpassed. Still, the near-term calm was paired with a clear handoff to a more active pattern as the week moved forward.
Wednesday was expected to stay warm, but with higher humidity and an increasing chance for showers or isolated thunderstorms. The highest likelihood for potential storms was identified as 3: 00 p. m. to 6: 00 p. m. ET. Another forecast described strong storms as possible Wednesday, with a damaging wind threat and the possibility of blinding rainfall in stronger cells. The pattern suggests the heat is not arriving alone; it is arriving with ingredients that can amplify storm potential once the atmosphere becomes more humid and unstable.
Cold front Thursday brings wind, rain
A powerful cold front approaching from the west is expected to drive the most dramatic change. The DMV is forecast to remain on the warm side of the front through late Wednesday night, before colder air spills in by Thursday mid-morning. Temperatures are expected to drop significantly during the day Thursday alongside periods of cold rain and gusty winds.
Several forecasts also point to the possibility that some areas could see wet snowflakes mixing in Thursday, especially early or late in the day as colder air pours into the region. No snowfall accumulation is expected, but the sight of wet snowflakes would stand out sharply against the backdrop of record warmth just days earlier. Temperatures were described as falling from the 50s Thursday morning to the upper 30s and lower 40s by the afternoon, with blustery wind gusts between 20 and 30 mph. That combination—cooler readings plus gusts—would make the air feel notably harsher than the thermometer alone suggests.
The next concrete checkpoint arrives Wednesday afternoon and evening, with the storm window centered on 3: 00 p. m. to 6: 00 p. m. ET and the region staying warm into late Wednesday night. After that, the key open question is how broadly wet snowflakes actually appear on Thursday, since one forecast described a brief changeover to snow as possible but uncertain.
