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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
UPDATED National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC 1023 AM EDT Thu May 21 2026 .WHAT HAS CHANGED... Small Craft Advisory added for the middle and upper tidal Potomac River for today.

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: @ 13-May-2026 1:20pm - next update at 1:30pm  
Temperature Summary Outlook
Currently: 74.5, Max: 77.0, Min: 55.7 74.5°F
Warmer 2.0°F than last hour.

Comfortable

Feels like: 74°F

24-hr difference
4.9°FWarmer 4.9°F than yesterday at this time.
  Today Yesterday
High: 77.0°F
12:53pm 		73.5°F
3:39pm
Low: 55.7°F
6:46am 		40.6°F
6:39am
High & Low May 2026
High:  86.0°F
05 May at 2:51 PM
Low:  38.9°F
03 May at 7:07 AM
Max Min:  60.6°F
06 May
Min Max:  61.9°F
11 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:  74.5°F
Coldest Wind Chill
Today:  55.7°F
at 6:46am
Yesterday:  40.6°F
at 6:39am
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: 2.8 Degree Days
Yesterday: 9.2 Degree Days
Cooling Degree Days
Today: 1.1 Degree Days
Yesterday: 1.9 Degree Days
Heat Index
Now:  74.5°F
Warmest Heat Index
Today:  77.0°F
at 12:53
Yesterday:  73.5°F
at 15:39
May 2026  85.4°F
10 May at 2:27 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
Overcast Overcast
Wind from SSE SSE
3
Gust:
 10 mph
1 Bft - Light air
Today: 11 mph 9:55am
Gust Month: 19 mph May 5
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:  19 mph
05 May at 4:05 PM
High Average:  6 mph
05 May at 3:31 PM
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:  23.1 miles
Yesterday:  19.6 miles
Highest Wind Run
May 2026  45.0 miles
06 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: 0.49 in
Season Total: 8.61 in
10 days since last rain.

Days Since Last Dry Day: 0
Station High May 2026
High Day:  0.21 in
06 May
High Hour:  0.13 in
06 May at 9:48 AM
High Rain Rate /hr:  0.64 in
07 May at 12:15 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: Chance Rain Showers
Chance Rain Showers
Tonight

Tonight: Chance Rain Showers
Chance Rain Showers
Friday

Friday: Rain Showers
Rain Showers
Hi 64 °F Lo 53 °F Hi 61 °F
Lightning VA MD DC WV DE

Viginia Lighting
Radar Washington DC Metro Area

GRLevel3 radar images are not available at this time.
Storm Prediction Center Activity Chart

SPC Activity

Humidity & Barometer
Humidity: 49 % Increased 1.0% since last hour.
Dew Point: 54.1°F Increased 1.8°F since last hour.
Barometer: 29.88 inHg Falling 0.02 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: 5:50am
Sunset: 8:21pm
Moonset: 12:48am
Moonrise: 10:42am

Day Length:  14:14
Dawn:  05:30
Dusk:  20:43
Daylight Length:  15:13
 There will be 1min 48s more daylight tomorrow

Cloud Base

cloudbase
CB AGL: 4640 ft
UV Index

   2.8   
 Low 
High: 6.4 @ 12:46pm

Solar Radiation
684 W/m2
High: 1185 @  12:46pm

Air Quality Index
Current AQI
19
Good

Sunlight

14 hrs 31 min 3 sec
of Sunlight Today
Which is
1 min 35 sec Longer
Than Yesterday
(Noon) graph (Midnight)
 Legend

Moon


Waxing Crescent
Waxing Crescent, Moon at 6 days in cycle
30% %
Illuminated
 NWS Weather Forecast  - Outlook: Today & Tonight
Today

Today: Chance Rain Showers
Chance Rain Showers

Hi 64 °F		 NWS forecast: A chance of rain showers. Cloudy, with a high near 64. Northeast wind around 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
Davis VP+ forecast: Not available		   Tonight

Tonight: Chance Rain Showers
Chance Rain Showers

Lo 53 °F		 NWS forecast: A chance of rain showers. Cloudy, with a low around 53. Northeast wind 7 to 12 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
 NWS Weather Forecast  - Five Day Outlook for Today through Memorial Day - Last Update: Thu, 21-May-2026 10:53am EDT
Today

Today: Chance Rain Showers
Chance Rain Showers
Tonight

Tonight: Chance Rain Showers
Chance Rain Showers
Friday

Friday: Rain Showers
Rain Showers
Friday
Night
Friday Night: Rain Showers
Rain Showers
Saturday

Saturday: Rain Showers
Rain Showers
Saturday
Night
Saturday Night: Showers And Thunderstorms
Showers And T-Storms
Sunday

Sunday: Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Chance Rain Showers then Slight Chance Showers And T-Storms
Sunday
Night
Sunday Night: Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Chance Showers And T-Storms
Memorial
Day
Memorial Day: Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
Showers And T-Storms Likely
Hi 64 °F Lo 53 °F Hi 61 °F Lo 50 °F Hi 62 °F Lo 54 °F Hi 75 °F Lo 61 °F Hi 80 °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 Storms - These are weather hazards associated with freezing or frozen precipitation (freezing rain, sleet, snow) or combined effects of winter precipitation and strong winds.

Today in Weather History

Weather History for May 21