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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
No changes. Rain showers still anticipated to arrive in the northwest around mid-afternoon, the I-95 corridor around 7pm this evening and the Virginia Piedmont and southern Maryland later this 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: @ 20-Mar-2026 2:40pm - next update at 2:50pm  
Temperature Summary Outlook
Currently: 72.2, Max: 72.8, Min: 36.9 72.2°F
Warmer 3.0°F than last hour.

Comfortable

Feels like: 72°F

24-hr difference
13.6°FWarmer 13.6°F than yesterday at this time.
  Today Yesterday
High: 72.8°F
2:17pm 		59.9°F
3:30pm
Low: 36.9°F
7:36am 		34.9°F
4:42am
High & Low March 2026
High:  87.1°F
10 March at 3:31 PM
Low:  23.7°F
18 March at 5:34 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:  72.2°F
Coldest Wind Chill
Today:  36.9°F
at 7:36am
Yesterday:  34.9°F
at 4:42am
March 2026  23.7°F
18 March at 5:34 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: 10.6 Degree Days
Yesterday: 19.0 Degree Days
Cooling Degree Days
Today: 0.6 Degree Days
Yesterday: 0.0 Degree Days
Heat Index
Now:  72.2°F
Warmest Heat Index
Today:  72.8°F
at 14:17
Yesterday:  59.9°F
at 15:30
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
Mostly cloudy Mostly cloudy
Wind from S S
4
Gust:
 13 mph
1 Bft - Light air
Today: 17 mph 1:54pm
Gust Month: 26 mph March 13
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:  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:  18.3 miles
Yesterday:  18.8 miles
Highest Wind Run
March 2026  85.1 miles
16 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: 2.75 in
Season Total: 6.38 in
4 days since last rain.

Days Since Last Dry Day: 0
Station High March 2026
High Day:  1.35 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:  1.35 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: Mostly Cloudy
Mostly Cloudy
Tonight

Tonight: Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Chance Showers And T-Storms
Saturday

Saturday: Mostly Sunny
Mostly Sunny
Hi 72 °F Lo 50 °F Hi 66 °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: 38 % Decreased 1.0% since last hour.
Dew Point: 45.2°F Decreased 0.7°F since last hour.
Barometer: 29.89 inHg Falling 0.05 inHg/hr
Baro Trend: Falling quickly
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: 7:11am
Sunset: 7:22pm
Moonrise: 7:48am
Moonset: 9:36pm

Day Length:  12:08
Dawn:  06:46
Dusk:  19:49
Daylight Length:  13:02
 There will be 2min 34s more daylight tomorrow

Cloud Base

cloudbase
CB AGL: 6142 ft
UV Index

   1.8   
 Low 
High: 4.1 @ 12:40pm

Solar Radiation
311 W/m2
High: 842 @  12:40pm

Air Quality Index
Current AQI
31
Good

Sunlight

12 hrs 11 min 35 sec
of Sunlight Today
Which is
2 min 32 sec Longer
Than Yesterday
(Noon) graph (Midnight)
 Legend

Moon


Waxing Crescent
Waxing Crescent, Moon at 2 days in cycle
4% %
Illuminated
 NWS Weather Forecast  - Outlook: This Afternoon & Tonight
This
Afternoon
This Afternoon: Mostly Cloudy
Mostly Cloudy

Hi 72 °F		 NWS forecast: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72. Southwest wind around 16 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. 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: Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Chance Showers And T-Storms

Lo 50 °F		 NWS forecast: A chance of rain showers before 8pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8pm and 1am, then scattered showers and thunderstorms between 1am and 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 50. Southwest wind 6 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 26 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 Tuesday - Last Update: Fri, 20-Mar-2026 2:23pm EDT
This
Afternoon
This Afternoon: Mostly Cloudy
Mostly Cloudy
Tonight

Tonight: Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Chance Showers And T-Storms
Saturday

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

Sunday: Partly Sunny
Partly Sunny
Sunday
Night
Sunday Night: Chance Rain Showers
Chance Rain Showers
Monday

Monday: Slight Chance Light Rain
Slight Chance Light Rain
Monday
Night
Monday Night: Mostly Clear
Mostly Clear
Tuesday

Tuesday: Sunny
Sunny
Hi 72 °F Lo 50 °F Hi 66 °F Lo 48 °F Hi 80 °F Lo 54 °F Hi 62 °F Lo 34 °F Hi 52 °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
Winter Weather Advisory - Hazardous winter weather conditions are occurring, imminent or likely. Conditions will cause a significant inconvenience and if caution is not exercised, will result in a potential threat to life and/or property. The generic term, winter weather advisory, is used for a combination of two or more of the following events; snow, freezing rain or drizzle, sleet, blowing snow.

Today in Weather History

Weather History for March 20
 
1986   The 153-mph wind gust that was recorded in Scotland's Cairngorm Mountains is the highest ever recorded in the United Kingdom.

2003   A two-day snowstorm dumped seven feet of snow on parts of Colorado and Wyoming. The heavy snow ripped the cloth roof at Denver International Airport.