Navigation

Alerts

Tidal Potomac
 Details for Tidal Potomac Small Craft Advisory
 Montgomery Cnty(C+SE), MD
 Details for Montgomery Cnty(C+SE), MD Test Message
 Montgomery Cnty(NW), MD
 Details for Montgomery Cnty(NW), MD Test Message

Mobile Weather

Get Cliftonvaweather SmartPhone Weather
QRCODE CVAWX
Scan With Phone's QR Code Reader

NOAA KHB36 Manassas

  • KHB36 Manassas

NOAA WXM42 Hagerstown

  • WXM42 Hagerstown

External Links

  • WXForum.net

Site Participation Links

  • Mid-Atlantic Weather Network
  • APRS/CWOP
  • Blitzortung.org
  • pws weather
  • UK Met Office WOW
Small Craft Advisory SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY - Tidal Potomac
Test Message TEST MESSAGE - Montgomery Cnty(C+SE), MD  - Montgomery Cnty(NW), MD

WASHINGTON DC METRO AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
Multiple areas of non-severe showers and thunderstorms and cloudcover may impact severe weather potential this afternoon.

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.
spacer

Current Clifton Virginia Conditions & NWS Forecast

Updated: @ 11-Mar-2026 2:40pm - next update at 2:50pm  
Temperature Summary Outlook
Currently: 81.7, Max: 82.4, Min: 57.2 81.7°F
Warmer 2.8°F than last hour.

Warm

Feels like: 85°F

24-hr difference
-4.8°FColder 4.8°F than yesterday at this time.
  Today Yesterday
High: 82.4°F
2:12pm 		87.1°F
3:31pm
Low: 57.2°F
6:45am 		47.5°F
7:08am
High & Low March 2026
High:  87.1°F
10 March at 3:31 PM
Low:  28.5°F
02 March at 6:20 AM
Max Min:  52.1°F
08 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:  52.1°F
08 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:  81.7°F
Coldest Wind Chill
Today:  57.2°F
at 6:45am
Yesterday:  47.5°F
at 7:08am
March 2026  28.5°F
02 March at 6:20 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: 1.6 Degree Days
Yesterday: 7.0 Degree Days
Cooling Degree Days
Today: 1.8 Degree Days
Yesterday: 7.6 Degree Days
Heat Index
Now:  83.5°F
Warmest Heat Index
Today:  84.2°F
at 14:12
Yesterday:  85.2°F
at 14:27
March 2026  85.2°F
10 March at 2:27 PM
2026  85.2°F
10 March at 2:27 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
Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy
Wind from SSE SSE
3
Gust:
 9 mph
1 Bft - Light air
Today: 11 mph 12:56pm
Gust Month: 17 mph March 9
Rain Today:  0.00 in
Rain Rate /hr  0.00 in
Rain Last Hour:  0.00 in
Rain 24hrs:  0.00 in
Wind

Station High March 2026
High Gust:  17 mph
09 March at 5:53 PM
High Average:  5 mph
10 March at 5:03 PM
Station High 2026
High Gust:  29 mph
07 February at 10:28 AM
High Average:  9 mph
07 February at 10:36 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:  10.1 miles
Yesterday:  17.4 miles
Highest Wind Run
March 2026  31.0 miles
01 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: 0.00 in
Rain Rate (/hr): 0.00 in
Rain Yesterday: 0.00 in
This Month: 0.55 in
Season Total: 4.18 in
4 days since last rain.

Days Since Last Dry Day: 0
Station High March 2026
High Day:  0.36 in
03 March
High Hour:  0.11 in
05 March at 10:26 PM
High Rain Rate /hr:  0.46 in
05 March at 10:12 PM
Station High 2026
High Day:  0.88 in
28 January
High Hour:  0.27 in
20 February at 8:17 AM
High Rain Rate /hr:  1.50 in
20 February at 7:42 AM
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:  4.09 in
at 12:41 on 05 March 2025
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: Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
Scattered Showers And T-Storms
Tonight

Tonight: Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
Showers And T-Storms Likely
Thursday

Thursday: Rain Showers then Chance Rain And Snow Showers
Rain Showers then Chance Rain And Snow Showers
Hi 80 °F Lo 46 °F Hi 48 °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: 57 % Decreased 2.0% since last hour.
Dew Point: 65.0°F Increased 0.9°F since last hour.
Barometer: 29.79 inHg Falling 0.04 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: 11.5 in
Total Last Season: 15.5 in
Fire Danger
firedanger
Almanac
Sunrise: 7:25am
Sunset: 7:13pm
Moonrise: 2:49am
Moonset: 11:41am

Day Length:  11:45
Dawn:  07:01
Dusk:  19:40
Daylight Length:  12:39
 There will be 2min 34s more daylight tomorrow

Cloud Base

cloudbase
CB AGL: 3799 ft
UV Index

   2.2   
 Low 
High: 5.1 @ 2:08pm

Solar Radiation
239 W/m2
High: 819 @  2:06pm

Air Quality Index
Current AQI
38
Good

Sunlight

11 hrs 48 min 42 sec
of Sunlight Today
Which is
2 min 32 sec Longer
Than Yesterday
(Noon) graph (Midnight)
 Legend

Moon


Waning Crescent
Waning Crescent, Moon at 21 days in cycle
46% %
Illuminated
 NWS Weather Forecast  - Outlook: This Afternoon & Tonight
This
Afternoon
This Afternoon: Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
Scattered Showers And T-Storms

Hi 80 °F		 NWS forecast: Scattered showers and thunderstorms before 3pm, then scattered showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could be severe. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. Southwest wind around 13 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Davis VP+ forecast: Increasing clouds and cooler. Precipitation possible and windy within 6 hours.		   Tonight

Tonight: Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
Showers And T-Storms Likely

Lo 46 °F		 NWS forecast: Showers and thunderstorms likely. Some of the storms could be severe. Mostly cloudy. Low around 46, with temperatures rising to around 62 overnight. Southwest wind 9 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
 NWS Weather Forecast  - Five Day Outlook for This Afternoon through Sunday - Last Update: Wed, 11-Mar-2026 1:58pm EDT
This
Afternoon
This Afternoon: Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
Scattered Showers And T-Storms
Tonight

Tonight: Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
Showers And T-Storms Likely
Thursday

Thursday: Rain Showers then Chance Rain And Snow Showers
Rain Showers then Chance Rain And Snow Showers
Thursday
Night
Thursday Night: Mostly Clear
Mostly Clear
Friday

Friday: Mostly Sunny
Mostly Sunny
Friday
Night
Friday Night: Partly Cloudy
Partly Cloudy
Saturday

Saturday: Mostly Sunny
Mostly Sunny
Saturday
Night
Saturday Night: Mostly Cloudy
Mostly Cloudy
Sunday

Sunday: Cloudy
Cloudy
Hi 80 °F Lo 46 °F Hi 48 °F Lo 30 °F Hi 55 °F Lo 41 °F Hi 57 °F Lo 39 °F Hi 60 °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

Weather Terms
Severe Thunderstorm Warning - A severe thunderstorm is indicated by Doppler radar or sighted by skywarn spotters. A severe thunderstorm contains large damaging hail, 1 inch diameter or larger, and/or damaging winds of around 60 mph or greater. These warnings are issued on a county by county basis by the local Weather Forecast Office in Sterling, VA.

Today in Weather History

Weather History for March 11
 
1891   Great Blizzard struck southern England and Wales March 9 through 13. 220 people were reported dead, and 65 ships floundered in the English Channel. 6000 sheep perished. Countless trees were uprooted and trains were buried in snow. Up to a foot of snow and snowdrifts of 11.5 feet high were recorded at London and Dartmouth.