Severe Thunderstorm Warning SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING - Charles Cnty, MD  - Prince Georges Cnty, MD
Special Marine Warning SPECIAL MARINE WARNING - Tidal Potomac
Tornado Watch TORNADO WATCH - Alexandria, VA  - Arlington Cnty, VA  - Charles Cnty, MD  - Fairfax, VA  - Fairfax Cnty, VA  - Falls Church, VA  - Fauquier Cnty(N), VA  - Fauquier Cnty(S), VA  - Loudon Cnty(E), VA  - Loudon Cnty(W), VA  - Manassas, VA  - Manassas Park, VA  - Montgomery Cnty(C+SE), MD  - Montgomery Cnty(NW), MD  - Prince Georges Cnty, MD  - Prince William Cnty, VA  - Stafford Cnty, VA  - Tidal Potomac  - Washington, DC
Gale Warning GALE WARNING - Tidal Potomac
Special Weather Statement SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - Alexandria, VA  - Arlington Cnty, VA  - Charles Cnty, MD  - Fairfax, VA  - Fairfax Cnty, VA  - Falls Church, VA  - Fauquier Cnty(N), VA  - Fauquier Cnty(S), VA  - Loudon Cnty(E), VA  - Loudon Cnty(W), VA  - Manassas, VA  - Manassas Park, VA  - Montgomery Cnty(C+SE), MD  - Montgomery Cnty(NW), MD  - Prince Georges Cnty, MD  - Prince William Cnty, VA  - Stafford Cnty, VA  - Tidal Potomac  - Washington, DC
Test Message TEST MESSAGE - Montgomery Cnty(C+SE), MD  - Montgomery Cnty(NW), MD

WASHINGTON DC METRO AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
Still tracking at least 3 rounds of strong to severe thunderstorms today with damaging wind gusts and isolated tornadoes as the primary concerns. Gale Warnings have been started earlier over the waters with Wind Advisories extended over the mountains. Winter Weather Advisories also continue for accumulating snow and a flash freeze over the Alleghenies later this afternoon and evening.

Current DC Area Radar & North America Lightning


Northeast US Radar


Regional Radar

North America Lightning


North America Lightning Strikes
Radar image courtesy of NWS. Lightning Data courtesy of Blitzortung.org and its Contributors.
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Current Clifton Virginia Conditions & NWS Forecast

Updated: @ 16-Mar-2026 2:50pm - next update at 3:00pm  
Temperature Summary Outlook
Currently: 61.7, Max: 68.5, Min: 56.4 61.7°F
Colder 1.8°F than last hour.

Comfortable

Feels like: 62°F

24-hr difference
4.9°FWarmer 4.9°F than yesterday at this time.
  Today Yesterday
High: 68.5°F
10:57am
57.2°F
3:44pm
Low: 56.4°F
12:11am
39.7°F
5:32am
High & Low March 2026
High:  87.1°F
10 March at 3:31 PM
Low:  26.8°F
13 March at 6:27 AM
Max Min:  57.2°F
11 March
Min Max:  34.9°F
02 March
High and Low 2026
High:  87.1°F
10 March at 3:31 PM
Low:  5.2°F
27 January at 7:52 AM
Max Min:  57.2°F
11 March
Min Max:  18.4°F
25 January
Record March
High:  88.0°F
at 04:54 on 28 March 2017
Low:  5.0°F
at 23:58 on 03 March 2014
Max Min:  69.0°F
at 09:29 on 30 March 2025
Min Max:  31.8°F
at 13:45 on 06 March 2015
Station All Time Record
High:  101.9°F
at 15:51 on 02 August 2024
Low:  1.0°F
at 07:23 on 23 January 2014
Max Min:  78.1°F
at 06:58 on 23 June 2024
Min Max:  16.7°F
at 12:04 on 16 February 2015
Records began on 24 December 2012
Wind Chill
Now:  61.7°F
Coldest Wind Chill
Today:  56.4°F
at 12:11am
Yesterday:  39.7°F
at 5:32am
March 2026  26.8°F
13 March at 6:27 AM
2026  2.9°F
01 February at 8:34 AM
Station March  3.4°F
at 01:56 on 06 March 2015
Station All Time  °F
Records began on 24 December 2012
Degree Days
Heating Degree Days
Today: 2.0 Degree Days
Yesterday: 15.3 Degree Days
Cooling Degree Days
Today: 0.3 Degree Days
Yesterday: 0.0 Degree Days
Heat Index
Now:  61.7°F
Warmest Heat Index
Today:  68.5°F
at 10:57
Yesterday:  57.2°F
at 15:44
March 2026  88.5°F
11 March at 3:46 PM
2026  88.5°F
11 March at 3:46 PM
Station Record March  95.6°F
at 04:54 on 28 March 2017
Station All Time  124.4°F
at 13:24 on 25 June 2025
Records began on 24 December 2012
WeatherCam Thumbnail
North North West Camera
North North West WeatherCam
Moderate drizzle, Overcast Moderate drizzle, Overcast
 Wind from SSE SSE
6
Gust:
12 mph
2 Bft - Light breeze
Today: 22 mph 10:44am
Gust Month: 26 mph March 13
Rain Today:  0.94 in
Rain Rate /hr  0.00 in
Rain Last Hour:  0.01 in
Rain 24hrs:  1.00 in
Wind

Station High March 2026
High Gust:  26 mph
13 March at 3:10 PM
High Average:  10 mph
12 March at 11:03 AM
Station High 2026
High Gust:  29 mph
07 February at 10:28 AM
High Average:  10 mph
12 March at 11:03 AM
Station Record March
High Gust:  39 mph
at 03:20 on 02 March 2018
High Average:  24 mph
at 13:07 on 02 March 2018
Station All Time Record
High Gust:  42 mph
at 12:56 on 04 January 2018
High Average:  24 mph
at 13:07 on 02 March 2018
Records began on 24 December 2012
Wind Run

Today:  53.9 miles
Yesterday:  28.6 miles
Highest Wind Run
March 2026  77.3 miles
13 March
2026  101.4 miles
07 February
March  284.2 miles
on 02 March 2018
Station All Time  284.2 miles
on 02 March 2018
Records began on 24 December 2012

Rain
Rain Today: 0.94 in
Rain Rate (/hr): 0.00 in
Rain Yesterday: 0.06 in
This Month: 2.34 in
Season Total: 5.97 in
0 day since last rain.

Days Since Last Dry Day: 1
Station High March 2026
High Day:  0.94 in
16 March
High Hour:  0.78 in
16 March at 1:42 PM
High Rain Rate /hr:  5.76 in
16 March at 12:46 PM
Station High 2026
High Day:  0.94 in
16 March
High Hour:  0.78 in
16 March at 1:42 PM
High Rain Rate /hr:  5.76 in
16 March at 12:46 PM
Station Record March
High Day:  1.95 in
on 21 March 2019
High Hour:  1.98 in
at 16:12 on 20 March 2015
High Rain Rate /hr:  5.76 in
at 12:46 on 16 March 2026
Station All Time Record
High Day:  5.17 in
on 21 July 2018
High Hour:  2.21 in
at 16:13 on 22 July 2020
High Rain Rate /hr:  64.00 in
at 10:49 on 19 October 2021
High Month:  10.27 in
July 2018
Records began on 24 December 2012

WeatherCam Thumbnail
South South West Camera
South South West WeatherCam
This
Afternoon
This Afternoon: Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
Showers And T-Storms Likely
Tonight

Tonight: Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy
Showers And T-Storms then Mostly Cloudy
Tuesday

Tuesday: Mostly Sunny
Mostly Sunny
Hi 72 °F Lo 29 °F Hi 40 °F
Lightning VA MD DC WV DE

Viginia Lighting
Radar Washington DC Metro Area

  GRLevel3 radar from NWS station KLWX

Storm Prediction Center Activity Chart

SPC Activity

Humidity & Barometer
Humidity: 90 % Decreased 3.0% since last hour.
Dew Point: 58.7°F Decreased 0.4°F since last hour.
Barometer: 29.45 inHg Falling 0.03  inHg/hr
Baro Trend: Falling
Today
Pressure High:  30.09 in
Pressure Low:  29.99 in
Dewpoint High:  33.1 °F
Dewpoint Low:  19.6 °F
Humidity High:  80%
Humidity Low:  40%
Station Record
Pressure High:  31.41 in
at 12:14 on 23 March 2017
Pressure Low:  28.99 in
at 07:41 on 07 February 2020
Dewpoint High:  82.7 °F
at 11:55 on 05 July 2024
Dewpoint Low:  -27.0 °F
at 01:57 on 20 February 2015
Records began on 24 December 2012
Snow

Snow Depth: 0.0 in
Snowfall Today: No Snow Today
Storm Total: 0.0 in
Total Season Snow: 13.0 in
Total Last Season: 15.5 in
Fire Danger
firedanger
Almanac
Sunrise: 7:17am
Sunset: 7:18pm
Moonrise: 6:08am
Moonset: 4:53pm

Day Length:  11:58
Dawn:  06:53
Dusk:  19:45
Daylight Length:  12:51
 There will be 2min 34s more daylight tomorrow

Cloud Base

cloudbase
CB AGL: 673 ft
UV Index

   1.1   
 Low 
High: 3.7 @ 12:03pm

Solar Radiation
155 W/m2
High: 668 @  12:05pm

Air Quality Index
Current AQI
1
  Good

Sunlight

12 hrs 1 min 25 sec
of Sunlight Today
Which is
2 min 33 sec Longer
Than Yesterday

(Noon)
graph (Midnight)
Legend

Moon


Waning Crescent
Waning Crescent, Moon at 26 days in cycle
6% %
Illuminated
 NWS Weather Forecast  - Outlook: This Afternoon & Tonight
This
Afternoon
This Afternoon: Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
Showers And T-Storms Likely

Hi 72 °F
NWS forecast: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Some of the storms could be severe. Cloudy, with a high near 72. South wind around 20 mph, with gusts as high as 43 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Davis VP+ forecast: Increasing clouds and cooler. Precipitation possible within 6 hours. Windy with possible wind shift to the W, NW, or N.
  Tonight

Tonight: Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy
Showers And T-Storms then Mostly Cloudy

Lo 29 °F
NWS forecast: Showers and thunderstorms before midnight. Some of the storms could be severe. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. West wind 12 to 21 mph, with gusts as high as 43 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
 NWS Weather Forecast  - Five Day Outlook for This Afternoon through Friday - Last Update: Mon, 16-Mar-2026 1:57pm EDT
This
Afternoon
This Afternoon: Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
Showers And T-Storms Likely
Tonight

Tonight: Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy
Showers And T-Storms then Mostly Cloudy
Tuesday

Tuesday: Mostly Sunny
Mostly Sunny
Tuesday
Night
Tuesday Night: Partly Cloudy
Partly Cloudy
Wednesday

Wednesday: Partly Sunny
Partly Sunny
Wednesday
Night
Wednesday Night: Partly Cloudy
Partly Cloudy
Thursday

Thursday: Partly Sunny
Partly Sunny
Thursday
Night
Thursday Night: Partly Cloudy
Partly Cloudy
Friday

Friday: Partly Sunny
Partly Sunny
Hi 72 °F Lo 29 °F Hi 40 °F Lo 24 °F Hi 42 °F Lo 30 °F Hi 53 °F Lo 37 °F Hi 63 °F

NWS Forecast Maps

NOAA Forecast Map for Today


Forecast Map for Today

NOAA Forecast Map for Tomorrow


Forecast Map for Tomorrow
Forecast map for Today courtesy of NOAA. Forecast map for Tomorrow courtesy of NOAA.

Random Weather Facts

Astronomy
The gravity on Jupiter is 2.6 times that of the Earth.

Today in Weather History

Weather History for March 16
 
1984   A violent tornado lifted the 1/4-mile-long steel route 16 bridge and threw it into Greers Ferry Lake in Arkansas.

1941   Beware the Ides of March. The most severe blizzard in modern history struck North Dakota and Minnesota. The blizzard began on a Saturday night while many were traveling, and claimed 71 lives. Winds gusted to 75 mph at Duluth, MN, and reached 85 mph at Grand Forks, ND. Snow drifts 12 feet high were reported in north central Minnesota.