Washington, D.C., gets a brief break Tuesday, with partly sunny skies, dry air and a high near 83 degrees before a hotter, stormier pattern takes hold again midweek. Early temperatures started in the mid-60s, with a few cooler pockets around the region, and the day should warm into the low 80s under a mix of clouds and sun.
Forecasters say Tuesday will be one of the more comfortable days of the week, with lower humidity holding across the region. The FOX 5 Weather Team and the National Weather Service both point to a mostly quiet day before conditions turn more unsettled starting Wednesday.
Wednesday brings the shift. Temperatures climb into the upper 80s, and moisture returns with a chance of morning showers followed by thunderstorms later in the day after 2 p.m. Some of those storms could be strong, marking the start of a stretch of afternoon storm chances that is expected to run through the end of the week.
The heat then intensifies Thursday and Friday, when the summerlike pattern settles in more firmly. Thursday carries a high near 95 with chances of showers and storms after 2 p.m., while Friday reaches about 96 with the same afternoon storm risk. Skies are expected to stay mostly sunny Thursday and partly sunny Friday, but the stronger heat will come with more humid air and less of the comfortable feel that Tuesday offers.
The dry spell has given the Washington region several quiet days, but that break is short-lived. By the weekend, daily storm chances are still on the table, and the open question is how strong the thunderstorms become as the heat peaks and the humid air lingers.
