Small Craft Advisory SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY - Tidal Potomac
Special Weather Statement SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT - Fairfax, VA  - Fairfax Cnty, VA  - Fauquier Cnty(N), VA  - Fauquier Cnty(S), VA  - Loudon Cnty(E), VA  - Loudon Cnty(W), VA  - Manassas, VA  - Manassas Park, VA  - Prince William Cnty, VA  - Stafford Cnty, VA
Test Message TEST MESSAGE - Montgomery Cnty(C+SE), MD  - Montgomery Cnty(NW), MD

WASHINGTON DC METRO AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
Showers and thunderstorms are currently tracking across western MD and the eastern panhandle of WV. This shower activity will diminish this morning.

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: @ 05-May-2026 6:30am - next update at 6:40am  
Temperature Summary Outlook
Currently: 59.1, Max: 64.0, Min: 57.7 59.1°F
 

Cool

Feels like: 59°F

24-hr difference
12.4°FWarmer 12.4°F than yesterday at this time.
  Today Yesterday
High: 64.0°F
12:00am
79.2°F
3:06pm
Low: 57.7°F
5:01am
43.8°F
12:20am
High & Low May 2026
High:  79.2°F
04 May at 3:06 PM
Low:  38.9°F
03 May at 7:07 AM
Max Min:  47.2°F
02 May
Min Max:  62.1°F
02 May
High and Low 2026
High:  94.0°F
16 April at 2:47 PM
Low:  5.2°F
27 January at 7:52 AM
Max Min:  66.9°F
04 April
Min Max:  18.4°F
25 January
Record May
High:  93.7°F
at 15:47 on 31 May 2022
Low:  32.0°F
at 03:46 on 10 May 2020
Max Min:  72.0°F
at 23:59 on 27 May 2015
Min Max:  51.3°F
at 14:37 on 09 May 2020
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:  59.1°F
Coldest Wind Chill
Today:  57.7°F
at 5:01am
Yesterday:  43.8°F
at 12:20am
May 2026  38.9°F
03 May at 7:07 AM
2026  2.9°F
01 February at 8:34 AM
Station May  27.4°F
at 07:06 on 09 May 2020
Station All Time  °F
Records began on 24 December 2012
Degree Days
Heating Degree Days
Today: 1.6 Degree Days
Yesterday: 6.9 Degree Days
Cooling Degree Days
Today: 0.0 Degree Days
Yesterday: 4.6 Degree Days
Heat Index
Now:  59.1°F
Warmest Heat Index
Today:  64.0°F
at 00:00
Yesterday:  79.2°F
at 15:06
May 2026  79.2°F
04 May at 3:06 PM
2026  97.0°F
16 April at 3:01 PM
Station Record May  105.0°F
at 13:55 on 26 May 2021
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
Few Clouds Few Clouds
 Wind from SSE SSE
0
Gust:
4 mph
0 Bft - Calm
Today: 5 mph 4:16am
Gust Month: 16 mph May 3
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 May 2026
High Gust:  16 mph
03 May at 3:13 PM
High Average:  4 mph
03 May at 10:16 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 May
High Gust:  27 mph
at 15:33 on 26 May 2017
High Average:  15 mph
at 14:07 on 08 May 2016
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:  1.6 miles
Yesterday:  23.2 miles
Highest Wind Run
May 2026  36.7 miles
02 May
2026  101.4 miles
07 February
May  139.2 miles
on 13 May 2015
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: 0.00 in
Season Total: 8.12 in
6 days since last rain.

Days Since Last Dry Day: 0
Station High May 2026
High Day:  0.00 in
01 May
High Hour:  0.00 in
01 May at 12:00 AM
High Rain Rate /hr:  0.00 in
01 May at 12:00 AM
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 May
High Day:  2.46 in
on 31 May 2018
High Hour:  2.16 in
at 18:26 on 31 May 2018
High Rain Rate /hr:  7.29 in
at 20:36 on 26 May 2021
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
Today

Today: Sunny
Sunny
Tonight

Tonight: Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
Wednesday

Wednesday: Rain Showers
Rain Showers
Hi 84 °F Lo 63 °F Hi 76 °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: 66 % Decreased 2.0% since last hour.
Dew Point: 47.7°F Increased 0.2°F since last hour.
Barometer: 29.88 inHg Rising 0.01  inHg/hr
Baro Trend: Rising slowly
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: 6:05am
Sunset: 8:07pm
Moonrise: 12:00am
Moonset: 8:18am

Day Length:  13:58
Dawn:  05:39
Dusk:  20:35
Daylight Length:  14:56
 There will be 2min 2s more daylight tomorrow

Cloud Base

cloudbase
CB AGL: 2580 ft
UV Index

   0.0   
None
High: 0.0 @ 12:00am

Solar Radiation
23 W/m2
High: 23 @  6:28am

Air Quality Index
Current AQI
34
  Good

Sunlight

14 hrs 1 min 43 sec
of Sunlight Today
Which is
2 min 5 sec Longer
Than Yesterday

(Noon)
graph (Midnight)
Legend

Moon


Waning Gibbous
Waning Gibbous, Moon at 17 days in cycle
88% %
Illuminated
 NWS Weather Forecast  - Outlook: Today & Tonight
Today

Today: Sunny
Sunny

Hi 84 °F
NWS forecast: Sunny, with a high near 84. Southwest wind 9 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph.
Davis VP+ forecast: Not available
  Tonight

Tonight: Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers

Lo 63 °F
NWS forecast: A slight chance of rain showers after 5am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. South wind 12 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%. New rainfall amounts less than a tenth of an inch possible.
 NWS Weather Forecast  - Five Day Outlook for Today through Saturday - Last Update: Tue, 05-May-2026 4:53am EDT
Today

Today: Sunny
Sunny
Tonight

Tonight: Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
Wednesday

Wednesday: Rain Showers
Rain Showers
Wednesday
Night
Wednesday Night: Showers And Thunderstorms
Showers And T-Storms
Thursday

Thursday: Rain Showers
Rain Showers
Thursday
Night
Thursday Night: Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Chance Showers And T-Storms
Friday

Friday: Sunny
Sunny
Friday
Night
Friday Night: Partly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
Partly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
Saturday

Saturday: Chance Rain Showers
Chance Rain Showers
Hi 84 °F Lo 63 °F Hi 76 °F Lo 53 °F Hi 63 °F Lo 45 °F Hi 69 °F Lo 50 °F Hi 73 °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
Our moon is moving away from the earth at about 3cm per year.

Today in Weather History

Weather History for May 5
 
1917   A late season snowstorm produced up to 8 inches of snow in parts of Texas.

2007   The first EF-5 tornado of the 21st Century, and the first tornado of that strength to be classified under the new "EF" system, obliterated the town of Greensburg, KS. Eleven people were killed in the two-mile wide twister. The town then took the opportunity to completely rebuild itself according to environmentally "green" standards.