Thunderstorms, Heavy Rain Return To NoVA, DC: See Latest Forecast

VIRGINIA/DC — High humidity and a heat index in the upper 90s by early Friday afternoon in Northern Virginia and D.C. will likely be followed by late afternoon thunderstorms, which could also contain isolated severe weather, according to forecasts.

The primary threat from the storms is damaging wind gusts, the National Weather Service said Friday morning. The NWS's Hazardous Weather Outlook for Friday covers the tidal Potomac River, and the Interstate 95 corridor through Northern Virginia and the District of Columbia.

High temperatures will be around 90 degrees. With humidity factored in, it will feel more like the mid to upper 90s.

"Rounds of showers and storms are possible, in the morning and afternoon. Perhaps one or two strong storms. Feeling oppressively steamy by day’s end," the Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang said Friday morning.

The NWS' Storm Prediction Center has classified the D.C. area as a Level 1 risk (out of 5) for storms that could cause damage from wind, hail and heavy rain. Residents should stay weather-aware, officials said.

As a cold front moves into the D.C. later on Friday, storms will develop this afternoon and evening. "Any storms would be very hit or miss but may contain locally heavy rain, thunder and lightning in addition to briefly gusty wind," WUSA reported Friday morning.

Chuck Bell, a meteorologist at NBC4, said the window for rain and storms on Friday in Northern Virginia and D.C. is likely between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., with some storms containing isolated severe storms.

Saturday will be a bit cooler and less humid than today, and that trend will continue into Sunday. Early next week, the chances for rain increases in Northern Virginia and D.C., according to forecasts.

Here is a look at the National Weather Service forecast for Virginia through the weekend and into early next week:

Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 5 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90.

Friday night: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 10 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 72.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 89.

Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 68.

Sunday: A slight chance of showers after 2 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 84.

Sunday night: A chance of showers, mainly after 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 67.

Monday: A chance of showers after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 81.

Monday night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68.

Tuesday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79.

Will Franklin Affect East Coast States?

Forecasters also have an eye on Tropical Storm Franklin, which AccuWeather said will "get its second wind over the Atlantic later this week" and may strengthen into a hurricane this weekend as it turns northward.

Rough surf and an uptick in the number of rip currents are possible in the coastal regions of mid-Atlantic states, added the National Weather Service.

Currently, AccuWeather meteorologists predict that Franklin "and its potentially damaging winds" will be well off the East Coast next week.

"AccuWeather meteorologists currently believe that westerly steering winds will protect the Northeast states from any close encounter with Franklin," said the weather service earlier this week.