Arlington, Virginia 7 Day Weather Forecast

Wx Forecast - Wx Discussion - Wx Aviation

680
FXUS61 KLWX 180824
AFDLWX

Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
424 AM EDT Sat Jul 18 2026

.WHAT HAS CHANGED...
A Heat Advisory was issued today for the Interstate 95 corridor from
Baltimore southward. A Small Craft Advisory was issued for today
into tonight.

&&

.KEY MESSAGES...
- 1) Hot and humid conditions with a risk of severe
  thunderstorms today.

- 2) Thunderstorm chances may linger across southern portions of
  the area as the front stalls to the south Sunday and Monday.

- 3) A strong cold front and trough of low pressure may bring
  severe weather Tuesday and/or Wednesday.

&&

.DISCUSSION...
KEY MESSAGE 1...Hot and humid conditions with a risk of severe
thunderstorms today.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms have been rapidly forming early
this morning as a warm front lifts northward. These storms will
likely remain mostly elevated with stabilized low levels. They`re
also on the leading edge on the higher instability, but there is
some shear present. The main threat may be some small hail, although
gusty winds may be more likely to reach the surface closer to the
Chesapeake Bay. This activity is likely mostly north and east of the
area by 8 AM, which may leave the rest of the morning dry.

Regional visibility observations show the lingering effects of the
wildfire smoke. With surface winds turning southerly and winds aloft
turning southwesterly, there should be an improvement in these
conditions from south to north through the midday hours.

Skies may not become completely sunny, but it won`t take much to
warm up. It will also be very humid with dew points in the lower to
mid 70s. Heat index values will likely range from 100-105 east of
the Blue Ridge and mid to upper 90s in the lower elevations to the
west. A Heat Advisory has been issued for the I-95 corridor from
Baltimore southward. This area is expected to have the most heating
before storms arrive, and higher dew points will likely remain
pooled east of a developing lee trough in this area.

With 30+ kt of deep layer shear, the hot and humid airmass will
result in substantial instability and a favorable environment for
severe thunderstorm development. A primary focus for storm
initiation and/or intensification will be the lee trough east of the
Blue Ridge. Most CAMs have storms developing in this area by early
to mid afternoon. Storms will likely also develop well upstream in
the Great Lakes closer to the surface front. What happens in between
these features is a bit more uncertain, though additional
thunderstorms are certainly possible given the strong upper trough
and deepening surface low to the north. Some areas could see
multiple rounds. The primary hazard will be damaging winds, with
some considerable swaths of damage possible in any sustained
supercells or linear segments. Some isolated large hail is possible,
but modest mid level lapse rates will be a limiting factor. A
tornado is also possible, with the greatest chances in northeast
Maryland where low level flow will be more favorable. Frequent
lightning and heavy rainfall are likely with any storm. Precipitable
water values surge to greater than 2 inches. The flash flood threat
appears to be isolated and limited to any areas with localized
training or repeating storms, as overall storm motions should be
progressive. The QPF signal is highest in northeast MD.

A secondary concentration of thunderstorms will develop closer to
the cold front near the Great Lakes. Most guidance shows this
activity rapidly weakening as it approaches the area during the late
evening, with some stronger storms potentially reaching the
Allegheny Front. The REFS does show a bit more persistence to these
storms however. Either way, there will be a drying trend the second
half of the night.


KEY MESSAGE 2...Thunderstorm chances may linger across southern
portions of the area as the front stalls to the south Sunday and
Monday.

The cold front will push south through the area Sunday. By the time
convection initiates, it may largely be south of the forecast area.
However, there is enough uncertainty in the frontal position that
the I-64 corridor in central VA could see some thunderstorms on
Sunday. The greatest risk for severe thunderstorms remains south of
the area.

High pressure briefly building to the north will bring cooler
temperatures Sunday and Monday. The front will stall temporarily but
begin to lift back north Monday into Monday night. Depending how
quickly this occurs, some showers and thunderstorms could move back
into the area.


KEY MESSAGE 3...A strong cold front and trough of low pressure
may bring severe weather Tuesday and/or Wednesday.

A strong upper trough and cold front will cross the region Tuesday
into Wednesday. There still remains uncertainty in timing and
placement of upper trough and front, along with coverage of
convection each day. It looks as if there will be secondary cold
front to follow the first front sometime midday Wednesday into the
afternoon. As we get closer in time each day, we will have a better
feel for this convective period of time in the middle of the week.

SPC outlooks denote roughly at 15% risk Tuesday into Wednesday from
west to east, with various ML/AI guidance a tick or two higher than
that. Damaging winds will likely be the primary threat with storms,
although other hazards cannot be ruled out pending the placement of
the trough and ingredients at play.

Behind this system will be lower humidity and cooler than normal
temperatures for the second half of next week with high pressure
returning to the region.

&&

.AVIATION /08Z SATURDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
A warm front is lifting north across the area early this morning,
with scattered showers and thunderstorms developing along it.
Looks like most of these should be north/east of the terminals
by 12Z. Smoke continues to reduce visibilities, though largely
in the MVFR category now. These conditions should improve from
south to north through midday as southerly winds pick up, which
could potentially gust to 20 kt this afternoon.

Additional thunderstorms are likely this afternoon, especially for
the metro terminals. Coverage is a bit more uncertain for CHO and
MRB. Timing is also a bit uncertain, and it`s not out of the
question there could be multiple rounds. Thunderstorms may be strong
to severe with strong winds, hail, frequent lightning, and very
heavy rain. A possibly weakening line of storms may approach during
the late evening as it drops in from the northwest, but it may
largely fall apart first. Winds will shift back to the N and NW
behind the cold front heading into Sunday. CHO may remain close
enough to the front to see more thunderstorms Sunday afternoon.

Prevailing VFR conditions are expected Monday, though some guidance
has showers and thunderstorms working back northward with a warm
front by afternoon or Monday night.

Possible sub-VFR conditions on Tuesday into Wednesday. Showers and
thunderstorms could push through multiple times. We will monitor the
set up as we get past this weekend. Winds southeast to south 5 to 10
knots Tuesday. Winds south to southwest 10 to 15 knots
Wednesday.

&&

.MARINE...
Scattered thunderstorms along a warm front may produce gusty winds
and heavy rain early this morning. Lowered visibility in smoke will
improve by this afternoon. Southerly winds strengthen by this
afternoon in the wake of the warm front. Advisories have been issued
from 11 AM to 11 PM for all waters, and lingering for the mid bay
through the night. Strong to severe storms are possible this
afternoon and evening as well, which may prompt Special Marine
Warnings.

Leftover storms on Sunday would probably be limited to areas around
southern MD, but trends suggest they will form farther to the south.
Otherwise winds become northerly in the front`s wake, and could
result in marginal advisory conditions.

Expect sub-SCA level conditions Sunday night into Monday as high
pressure builds to the north. Southerly channeling may increase
winds by Monday night.

SCA conditions due to southerly channeling could occur Tuesday into
Wednesday as a storm system and two possible cold fronts push across
the region. Winds southeast 10 to 15 knots Tuesday. Winds south 10
to 20 knots gusts higher Wednesday.

&&

.TIDES/COASTAL FLOODING...
Increasing southerly flow today and again on Tuesday could lead
to water levels approaching minor flood stage, especially at
Annapolis. However, current trends suggest levels should fall
short of flood stage today/tonight.

&&

.LWX WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
DC...Heat Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 7 PM EDT this evening
     for DCZ001.
MD...Small Craft Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 11 PM EDT this
     evening for MDZ008.
     Heat Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 7 PM EDT this evening
     for MDZ011-013-014-016>018.
VA...Heat Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 7 PM EDT this evening
     for VAZ053>057-527.
WV...Air Quality Alert until midnight EDT tonight for WVZ050-055-
     501>504.
MARINE...Small Craft Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 11 PM EDT this
     evening for ANZ530>533-535-536-538>542.
     Small Craft Advisory from 11 AM this morning to 6 AM EDT
     Sunday for ANZ534-537-543.

&&

$$

DISCUSSION...ADS/KLW
AVIATION...ADS/KLW
MARINE...ADS/KLW