WASHINGTON — The region has seen drastic improvements in the drought situation in the past month, but there is going to be even more rain this week thanks to three distinct waves of low pressure and a generous flow of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico.
The first storm system will have already brought showers and drizzle in late Sunday night into Monday morning. These will be in advance of a warm front, which will pass through the area during the day. Humidity will rise to somewhat uncomfortable levels when that happens and temperatures will also warm. Then, as the first storm system’s center of low pressure pulls away, a cold front will be dragged through, causing some additional scattered thunderstorms late in the day Monday. High pressure and westerly winds will dry things out Monday night and Tuesday morning with a big drop in humidity.
The same frontal boundary will be held up by a new wave of low pressure developing on its southern end, and that low will be poised to move back up the mountains with the boundary as a warm front, bringing us a chance for more rain later Tuesday into possibly Wednesday morning. There is considerable disagreement in the various computer models about how far north the front will make it, and that could have an impact on temperatures. Right now, Storm Team 4 believes the front will stay farther south, keeping us somewhat cool still with this round of rain. But it will start to feel humid again.
Yet another system being steered by the jet stream will come down from central Canada and the Plains and form a “cut off” upper low late Wednesday into Thursday. This will be a chance for even more rain. That system will move right along and depart on Friday, followed by more drying out.
Depending on the exact timing of each batch of rain, one or more Nationals games could be affected during the new homestand, which starts Tuesday. In patterns like these, there could be significant day-to-day changes in the start and end times for the batches of rain.
As previously mentioned, the latest Drought Monitor report from the Drought Mitigation Center confirms that the area is no longer in a drought, either short or long term. The topsoil and the waterways have responded well to the rainfall in recent weeks. There are only a few areas of “abnormally dry” ground. Even those areas will likely see improvement this week.
The region has seen drastic improvements in the drought situation in the past month, but there is going to be even more rain this week. (WTOP/Storm Team 4)
\n","caption":"The region has seen drastic improvements in the drought situation in the past month, but there is going to be even more rain this week. (WTOP\/Storm Team 4)\n"},{"type":"photo","media":"
\n","caption":"As mentioned, the latest Drought Monitor report from the Drought Mitigation Center confirms that the D.C. area is no longer in a drought, either short or long term. The topsoil and the waterways have responded well to the rainfall in recent weeks. There are only a few areas of \u201cabnormally dry\u201d ground. Even those area will likely see improvement this week. (Data: Drought Mitigation Center, NOAA. Graphics: Storm Team 4)\n"},{"type":"photo","media":"
\n","caption":"The official forecast from the Weather Prediction Center shows the beneficial rainfall potential for us through the week. Totals for Monday morning through Friday evening could be 2 inches to 4 inches for the area. The Gulf Coast and the Carolinas could get particularly soaked, along with getting severe weather.\u00a0(Weather Prediction Center, NOAA)\n"},{"type":"photo","media":"
\n","caption":"The RPM computer model run with Sunday afternoon\u2019s data shows the possible timing for the first two systems in the area. Showers are already here for the Monday morning commute, then become scattered thunderstorms Monday afternoon, before ending totally Monday evening as a cold front traverses the area. Then, the next batch starts coming in for Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. (Data: The Weather Company. Graphics: Storm Team 4)\n"},{"type":"ad","media":"
\n","caption":"The RPM computer model run with Sunday afternoon\u2019s data shows the possible timing for the first two systems in the area. Showers are already here for the Monday morning commute, then become scattered thunderstorms Monday afternoon, before ending totally Monday evening as a cold front traverses the area. Then, the next batch starts coming in for Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. (Data: The Weather Company. Graphics: Storm Team 4)\n"},{"type":"photo","media":"
\n","caption":"The RPM computer model run with Sunday afternoon\u2019s data shows the possible timing for the first two systems in the area. Showers are already here for the Monday morning commute, then become scattered thunderstorms Monday afternoon, before ending totally Monday evening as a cold front traverses the area. Then, the next batch starts coming in for Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. (Data: The Weather Company. Graphics: Storm Team 4)\n"},{"type":"photo","media":"
\n","caption":"The RPM computer model run with Sunday afternoon\u2019s data shows the possible timing for the first two systems in the area. Showers are already here for the Monday morning commute, then become scattered thunderstorms Monday afternoon, before ending totally Monday evening as a cold front traverses the area. Then, the next batch starts coming in for Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. (Data: The Weather Company. Graphics: Storm Team 4)\n"},{"type":"photo","media":"
\n","caption":"The RPM computer model run with Sunday afternoon\u2019s data shows the possible timing for the first two systems in the area. Showers are already here for the Monday morning commute, then become scattered thunderstorms Monday afternoon, before ending totally Monday evening as a cold front traverses the area. Then, the next batch starts coming in for Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. (Data: The Weather Company. Graphics: Storm Team 4)\n"},{"type":"ad","media":"
\n","caption":"The RPM computer model run with Sunday afternoon\u2019s data shows the possible timing for the first two systems in the area. Showers are already here for the Monday morning commute, then become scattered thunderstorms Monday afternoon, before ending totally Monday evening as a cold front traverses the area. Then, the next batch starts coming in for Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. (Data: The Weather Company. Graphics: Storm Team 4)\n"},{"type":"photo","media":"
\n","caption":"The RPM computer model run with Sunday afternoon\u2019s data shows the possible timing for the first two systems in the area. Showers are already here for the Monday morning commute, then become scattered thunderstorms Monday afternoon, before ending totally Monday evening as a cold front traverses the area. Then, the next batch starts coming in for Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. (Data: The Weather Company. Graphics: Storm Team 4)\n"},{"type":"photo","media":"
\n","caption":"Since the area’s getting closer and closer to summer, dew points are showing up again as a factor in the comfort level of the atmosphere. Remember, the higher the dew point, the more moisture there is in the air.\u00a0(Data: The Weather Company. Graphics: Storm Team 4)\n"},{"type":"photo","media":"
\n","caption":"We will have opportunities for mugginess this week, starting on Monday after a warm front passes to the north. (Data: The Weather Company. Graphics: Storm Team 4)\n"},{"type":"ad","media":"
\n","caption":"The general guidelines (because it is subjective) for warmer weather months are that when the dew points get into the upper 60s, it starts feeling muggy. (Data: The Weather Company. Graphics: Storm Team 4)\n"},{"type":"photo","media":"
\n","caption":"The RPM computer model also shows the changes in atmospheric moisture in the same time period. (Data: The Weather Company. Graphics: Storm Team 4)\n"},{"type":"photo","media":"
\n","caption":"Note the big drop off in the dew points Monday night behind a cold front while high pressure builds in. Then, the moisture comes right back late Tuesday into Wednesday.\u00a0(Data: The Weather Company. Graphics: Storm Team 4)\n"},{"type":"photo","media":"
\n","caption":"Since the area’s getting closer and closer to summer, dew points are showing up again as a factor in the comfort level of the atmosphere. Remember, the higher the dew point, the more moisture there is in the air.\n
(Data: The Weather Company. Graphics: Storm Team 4)\n"},{"type":"ad","media":"
Daily weather highlights
MONDAY
• Cloudy, damp and cool with showers and drizzle in the morning
• Peeks of sun through clouds
• Feeling warmer and much more humid
• Scattered late-day thunderstorms
• Becoming less humid toward nighttime
TUESDAY
• Plenty of clouds
• Cooler, northeast winds
• Temperatures slightly below average
• Rain returning toward nighttime
WEDNESDAY
• Steady rain tapering to just scattered showers and drizzle
• Damp and humid
• More seasonable temperatures, possibly warmer, depending on peeks of sun
THURSDAY
• More showers and thunderstorms
• Seasonable temperatures
FRIDAY
• Any lingering showers ending in the morning
• Gradual clearing
• Breezy and warm, but becoming less humid
Editor’s Note: The WTOP Workweek Weather Blog is intended as an in-depth yet plain language summary of the business week’s weather potential in the D.C. area along with an explanation of the contingencies and uncertainties that exist at the time of publication. For the latest actual Storm Team 4 forecast, check out the main WTOP Weather Page.
The post Workweek weather: Some muggy, wet weather for this week appeared first on WTOP.
