arlwx12

Really pouring down near DCA, visibiliity under 1/4 mile.

Haze showing up at DCA. Current DC air quality listed as 62 (moderate). NWS forecasts air quality to worsen today... ...AIR QUALITY ALERT IS IN EFFECT FOR THURSDAY JULY 16 2026... The Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and District Department of Environment has issued a Code ORANGE Air Quality Alert Thursday for the District of Columbia. A Code Orange Air Quality Alert means that air pollution concentrations within the region may become unhealthy for sensitive groups. (snip)

Dulles still in the running for warm low for date. BWI just missed.

At least the DC area air quality is not that of Detroit... Detroit registers worst air quality in the world among major cities as wildfire smoke blankets Michigan DETROIT, Mich. (News 10) - Heavy wildfire smoke from Canada and Minnesota continues to settle into Lower Michigan, causing Detroit to have the worst air quality in the world among major cities Thursday morning. Detroit’s air quality index (AQI) was rated at 684 as of 3:30 a.m. Thursday, according to IQ Air which tracks air quality ratings across the world. Air quality is ranked in these categories: 0-50 = Good, 51-100 = Moderate, 101-150 = Unhealthy for sensitive groups, 151-200 = Unhealthy, 201-300 Very unhealthy, 301+ = Hazardous (snip)

In the latest AFD from LWX... National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 400 AM EDT Sat Jul 4 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... Given an uptick in today`s heat index forecast, have upgraded to Extreme Heat Warnings across north-central Maryland down across the eastern West Virginia Panhandle into the Shenandoah Valley. For today`s convective threat, the Storm Prediction Center has upgraded to an Enhanced Risk for severe thunderstorms across locations east of the Blue Ridge Mountains. (snip) Before convection enters the picture, it will be another day of record warmth across the Mid-Atlantic region. Using 850-mb temperatures as a proxy, forecast readings should be around 22-23C which dry adiabatic mixing favors another 100 degree day. Adding continued tropical moisture in place will support heat indices pushing into the 105 to 110 degree range. Extreme Heat Warnings are in effect from 10 AM until 9 PM for areas east of the Blue Ridge. (snip) Although vertical shear is only around 20 to 25 knots, any storms able to tap into the robust instability will be capable of damaging winds. Some of this could be locally destructive with gusts up to 60 to 75 mph. (snip) The primary signal east of the Blue Ridge is in the 3-9 PM timeframe, slightly earlier to the west. Damaging to locally destructive winds are the main threat, with any chance for large hail being minimal given the summertime freezing levels. (snip)

Hear=t advisories posted for virtually the entire LWX area. WWA Summary for Heat Advisory Issued by LWX

Severe thunderstorm watch posted further south/east from DC, including Calvert and St Mary's.

Visibility down to about 1/2 mile in the downpour near DCA. edit: now more like 1/4 mile.

Heat advisory up for parts of the DC/Baltimore metros and points east including the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay.

LWX's daily reports showed a T of snow at DCA and IAD, tying records.

Looks like the warm water helped keep DCA (and a few other spots "on" the water) well short of freezing. A few other locations may also have escaped. But IAD hit 27, BWI 30

I prepared for tomorrow morning by looking at a list of DCA "latest last freezes" through 2023. The most recent one on April 10 (or later) was 2016. More on this if DCA does indeed hit freezing tomorrow (it MIGHT not).

In 2025, "last freeze" dates at DCA/IAD/BWI: DCA: March 3 IAD: April 9 BWI: April 9

Warnings for an upcoming freeze all across the region. Only SE Virginia is spared, and of course the mountains don't get freeze warnings yet. ((Sorry for those who might have thought Tax Day signalled "safe to plant" starting time for tender stuff.))

URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 1159 PM EDT Sat Apr 18 2026 MDZ011-504-506-508-VAZ036-037-053-055-056-527-191200- /O.NEW.KLWX.FZ.A.0003.260421T0600Z-260421T1400Z/ Southern Baltimore-Central and Southeast Montgomery-Central and Southeast Howard-Southeast Harford-Nelson-Albemarle-Fairfax- Stafford-Spotsylvania-Central and Southeast Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park- 1159 PM EDT Sat Apr 18 2026 ...FREEZE WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE MONDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING... * WHAT...Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 29 to 32 degrees possible, especially northwest of I-95. * WHERE...In Maryland, Central and Southeast Howard, Central and Southeast Montgomery, Southeast Harford, and Southern Baltimore Counties. In Virginia, Albemarle, Nelson, Spotsylvania, Central and Southeast Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park, Fairfax, and Stafford Counties. * WHEN...From late Monday night through Tuesday morning. * IMPACTS...Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.

DCA also briefly hir 90 around 1 pm. 88 as of 2:45.

Actually, it's now a freeze warning from midnight on for the DC metro. (Other warnings up for the rest, freeze watch up for Thursday AM for the outer suburbs) URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 213 AM EDT Tue Apr 7 2026 DCZ001-MDZ013-014-016-VAZ054-057-071415- /O.NEW.KLWX.FZ.W.0001.260408T0400Z-260408T1300Z/ District of Columbia-Prince Georges-Anne Arundel-Charles- Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria-King George- 213 AM EDT Tue Apr 7 2026 ...FREEZE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 9 AM EDT WEDNESDAY... * WHAT...Sub-freezing temperatures as low as 31 expected. * WHERE...The District of Columbia. In Maryland, Anne Arundel, Prince Georges, and Charles Counties. In Virginia, King George County, and Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria. * WHEN...From midnight tonight to 9 AM EDT Wednesday. * IMPACTS...Frost and freeze conditions could kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.

IAD hit 88 (beating the old record of 85). Looks like DCA and IAD probably will just miss.

Reported highs so far: DCA 88 IAD 86 BWI 86 Earlier, LWX's discussion said the highs (all set in 1978) had been 88/85/88.

Today so far, DCA, IAD and BWI all hit 82. Forecast to be warmer tomorrow.

LWX's local forecast included historic high/ warm low temperatures for today and tomorrow. Record Daily Highs and Warm Lows for March 31 Site High/Year(s) Set Warm Low/Year(s) Set DCA 85/2025, 1981, 1979 63/1998 BWI 86/2025, 1998 68/1998 IAD 85/1998 62/1998 DMH 93/1998 73/1998 NAK 83/1979, 1945 61/1977 HGR 85/1998 57/1998 MRB 86/1998 62/1998 CHO 88/1986 67/1910 Record Daily Highs and Warm Lows for April 1 Site High/Year(s) Set Warm Low/Year(s) Set DCA 88/1978 64/2016 BWI 88/1978 62/2016 IAD 85/1978 64/2016 DMH 90/1978 69/1998 NAK 87/1978 60/1998 HGR 84/1978 60/1912 MRB 85/1943 58/2016 CHO 88/1978 68/1998

So far at about 0430, the lows so far: DCA 36 IAD 27 BWI 27

Channel 5 led off the 3 pm news with video of vehicles on the outer loop of I-495 wading across.

National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 216 PM EDT Mon Mar 16 2026 The National Weather Service in Sterling Virginia has issued a * Severe Thunderstorm Warning for... Northwestern St. Marys County in southern Maryland... Southwestern Prince Georges County in central Maryland... Charles County in southern Maryland... Southeastern Stafford County in northern Virginia... King George County in central Virginia... Southeastern Fairfax County in northern Virginia... East central Spotsylvania County in central Virginia... * Until 300 PM EDT. * At 216 PM EDT, a severe thunderstorm was located near Potomac Creek, moving northeast at 45 mph.

High standing water on I-70 and I-495 being reported by WTOP.