This incredible stretch of refreshing weather we’ve been on is starting to come to an end as we transition into the second half of the week. Some cooler temperatures still greeted us this morning, but a switch to southerly winds and plenty of sunshine has dialed up our temperatures into the middle to upper 80s for the afternoon. Those southerly winds are also drawing in some tropical moisture, pushing humidity levels up with each passing hour. By the end of the day, it will feel like a classic late August evening, with cloud cover also increasing as high pressure pulls off the East Coast. A warm front will slowly approach from the west tonight, but only a few spotty showers may come from this before sunrise.
The bulk of the wet and stormy weather will come Thursday afternoon and evening after we see some brief clearing and heat up a bit. We’ll peak around 90 degrees early in the afternoon, which will combine with the humidity to provide fuel to the storms that fire up. The actual front may not swing through until Thursday night, so this lag could keep severe chances down. There is a slightly higher chance for a few severe storms across north-central MD tomorrow, but the entire area is fair game for a strong storm or two between 4-9 PM. Gusty winds and hail would be the primary concerns to watch for as things develop. With the front lagging behind, some rain is likely through the night into Friday morning, with a few more showers and a rogue thunderstorm popping up across southern MD and central VA later in the day.
Because this front will fizzle out as it reaches the East Coast, it won’t bring much relief from the heat and humidity heading into the weekend. As it dries out on Saturday, temperatures will still be in the mid-80s with plenty of mugginess. By Sunday and Monday, a strong ridge over the Midwest will push closer to us, ramping up our temperatures even more. We’ll end up in the low to mid-90s with plenty of humidity for the start of September on Tuesday. Rain and storm chances will be minimal until the middle of next week, when a weak disturbance could bring isolated activity back by next Wednesday…