Skip to content

DC-area forecast: Slowly turning hotter. Rain chances rise Sunday into Monday.

Hummingbird and Zinnia on a beautiful July afternoon in DC
Hummingbird and Zinnia in DC on Wednesday (Craig Little/CW App)

Always a human at the helm: Updated around-the-clock by Capital Weather meteorologists.

Happening now: Morning 70s head for highs in the mid-80s to near 90, which is around late-July averages. Probably dry but outside chance of a stray afternoon shower or storm.

Severe T'storm Warning
Tornado Warning
Flash Flood Warning
Hover a warning for details
👆Tap a warning for details

What's next? Similar temperatures through early next week. Some humidity slowly builds, and rain chances increase Sunday into Monday.

Today’s daily digit — 7/10: Mainly bright skies, very warm highs around 85 to 90, but humidity may drop by afternoon. | 🤚 Your call?
The digit is a somewhat subjective rating of the day’s weather, on a 0-to-10 scale.

Forecast in detail

Today (Friday): More sun than not with highs reaching the mid-80s to around 90. Moderate humidity may briefly dip in the afternoon (dew points perhaps dropping to the low 60s to near 60) thanks to a light, dry breeze from the northwest. Very slight chance of an isolated afternoon shower or thundershower as a warm front passes by. Confidence: Medium-High

Tonight: A generally pleasant evening for outdoor activities, with temperatures falling through the 80s, though clouds may increase a bit with time. Mainly mid-60s to around 70 for lows, with a bit of humidity returning. Confidence: Medium-High

Hourly Forecast | Pollen, Air & UV

Tomorrow (Saturday): A touch warmer despite a mix of clouds and sun. The cloudiest spots farther north may get stuck in the mid-80s, but most of us should hit the upper 80s to low 90s. Breezes from the south may gust near 20 mph. Humidity is still on the moderate side, with dew points around 60 to 65. Another very slight chance of a pop-up shower or storm toward evening. Confidence: Medium

Tomorrow night: Mostly cloudy with a shower or storm possible mainly after midnight. Humidity rises, and lows only cool into the upper 60s to mid-70s. Breezes from the south may continue to gust near 20 mph. Confidence: Medium

Sunday: Mainly cloudy and a bit windy. Slight shower chances all day, with an added and more widespread thunderstorm chance during the afternoon. Highs still get fairly warm, in the mid-80s or so. We may get warmer if rain chances evaporate a bit — stay tuned. Confidence: Medium

📬 Get our forecast in your inbox

Our morning forecast email is back! It's included with every level of support — from Free to Sustainer — delivered 7 days a week. Sign up at: capitalweather.com/support-us

A look ahead

Sunday night: Some showers are likely, and there are also storm chances. Both are more likely near and after sunset. Skies remain mostly cloudy, with humid lows near 70 to the mid-70s. Confidence: Medium

Elevated chances for showers and storms continue into Monday. A few afternoon and evening storms may turn strong, and downpours are possible. Clouds and rain chances should cap highs in the 80s, but we'll refine this as we get closer. Confidence: Low-Medium

Lower shower and storm chances — and humidity — are possible Tuesday. A bit more sunshine should boost highs into the mid-80s to near 90. Confidence: Medium

The afternoon hit-or-miss storm pattern likely repeats through the workweek, with heat and humidity slowly building, as it looks now.

On this day

DC weather history for July 31

Extreme heat in 1954 pushed temperatures to a record 103 degrees, part of a punishing hot streak.

Sunrise6:09 a.m.Sunset8:22 p.m.
Avg High89°Avg Low72°
Rec High103° 1954Rec Low52° 1895Rec Rain3.18" 1889
Read full July 31 weather history →

A. Camden Walker

A. Camden Walker

Meteorologist and engagement lead, contributing to Capital Weather for over 20 years.

All articles

Sign up to join the discussion.

More in Forecasts

See all