Thunderstorms, Heavy Rains Move In To VA, DC: See Latest Forecast

VIRGINIA — Thunderstorms are likely to pop up Wednesday, bringing heavy downpours and gusty winds of 50 mph to Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., forecasters said.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms will gradually increase Wednesday afternoon through 7 p.m. across the region as a cold front moves through the area, according to the National Weather Service.

As the thunderstorms develop later in the day, gusty winds of 40 to 50 mph, small hail and heavy rain locally are the primary threats, according to the NWS forecast. The chance of rain will diminish after 9 p.m., as skies clear. Expect patchy fog overnight.

Air streams moving in from Canada will feel more like April or the start of May rather than the end of May through the Great Lakes, Northeast and mid-Atlantic states, according to AccuWeather.

"In Washington, D.C., the air will seem refreshing for late May with high temperatures in the mid-70s F from Wednesday to Friday, compared to a historical average near 80, and replacing highs well in the 80s with high humidity from the past week or so," AccuWeather reported

The skies over Washington-Dulles International Airport were partly cloudy at 12 p.m. on Wednesday, with a temperature of 75 degrees, according to NWS. Temperatures will range from the upper 70s to low 80s and drop to mid to upper 50s and low 60s in the evening.

Clear and sunny skies are expected to move into the region on Friday through Sunday during the daylight hours, according to the NWS forecast.

The first hint of rain on the NWS forecast occurs on Sunday night, with a chance of thunderstorms and showers between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. Those conditions are expected to continue through Tuesday.

The following is the seven-day forecast for the Baltimore-Washington region from the National Weather Service:

• Wednesday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 8pm, then a slight chance of showers between 8pm and 9pm. Partly cloudy, with a low around 56. Northwest wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
• Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 75. Northwest wind around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.
• Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 49. Northwest wind 6 to 8 mph.
• Friday: Sunny, with a high near 76. North wind 8 to 11 mph.
• Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 52.
• Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 81.
• Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 56.
• Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 83.
• Sunday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8pm and 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 62. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
• Monday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 83. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
• Monday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly cloudy, with a low around 64. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
• Tuesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Chance of precipitation is 30%.