Special Marine Warning SPECIAL MARINE WARNING - Tidal Potomac
Severe Thunderstorm Watch SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH - Alexandria, VA  - Arlington Cnty, VA  - Charles Cnty, MD  - Fairfax, VA  - Fairfax Cnty, VA  - Falls Church, VA  - Fauquier Cnty(N), VA  - Fauquier Cnty(S), VA  - Loudoun Cnty(E), VA  - Loudoun Cnty(W), VA  - Manassas, VA  - Manassas Park, VA  - Montgomery Cnty(C+SE), MD  - Montgomery Cnty(NW), MD  - Prince Georges Cnty, MD  - Prince William Cnty, VA  - Stafford Cnty, VA  - Tidal Potomac  - Washington, DC
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
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch has been issued for the entire area until 10 PM. A Flash Flood Watch has been issued for the I-64 corridor, Highland, and Pendleton Counties until 2 AM Wednesday.

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: @ 21-Jul-2026 3:50pm - next update at 4:00pm  
Temperature Summary Outlook
Currently: 89.5, Max: 90.1, Min: 74.6 89.5°F
Warmer 0.5°F than last hour.

Warm

Feels like: 101°F

24-hr difference
3.9°FWarmer 3.9°F than yesterday at this time.
  Today Yesterday
High: 90.1°F
1:33pm
86.7°F
2:11pm
Low: 74.6°F
6:20am
64.7°F
5:07am
High & Low July 2026
High:  101.6°F
04 July at 3:01 PM
Low:  63.4°F
13 July at 6:33 AM
Max Min:  77.9°F
16 July
Min Max:  83.1°F
07 July
High and Low 2026
High:  101.6°F
04 July at 3:01 PM
Low:  5.2°F
27 January at 7:52 AM
Max Min:  77.9°F
16 July
Min Max:  18.4°F
25 January
Record July
High:  101.6°F
at 15:01 on 04 July 2026
Low:  51.6°F
at 05:40 on 30 July 2014
Max Min:  77.9°F
at 06:42 on 07 July 2024
Min Max:  72.0°F
at 22:57 on 04 July 2016
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:  89.5°F
Coldest Wind Chill
Today:  74.6°F
at 6:20am
Yesterday:  64.7°F
at 5:07am
July 2026  63.4°F
13 July at 6:33 AM
2026  2.9°F
01 February at 8:34 AM
Station July  51.6°F
at 05:40 on 30 July 2014
Station All Time  °F
Records began on 24 December 2012
Degree Days
Heating Degree Days
Today: 0.0 Degree Days
Yesterday: 0.0 Degree Days
Cooling Degree Days
Today: 9.9 Degree Days
Yesterday: 11.4 Degree Days
Heat Index
Now:  101.9°F
Warmest Heat Index
Today:  107.3°F
at 13:32
Yesterday:  91.5°F
at 14:10
July 2026  128.9°F
04 July at 3:04 PM
2026  128.9°F
04 July at 3:04 PM
Station Record July  128.9°F
at 15:04 on 04 July 2026
Station All Time  128.9°F
at 15:04 on 04 July 2026
Records began on 24 December 2012
WeatherCam Thumbnail
North North West Camera
North North West WeatherCam
Overcast Overcast
 Wind from S S
0
Gust:
3 mph
0 Bft - Calm
Today: 9 mph 12:23pm
Gust Month: 19 mph July 18
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 July 2026
High Gust:  19 mph
18 July at 3:13 PM
High Average:  5 mph
18 July at 3:20 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 July
High Gust:  28 mph
at 16:56 on 17 July 2019
High Average:  12 mph
at 16:11 on 18 July 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:  12.7 miles
Yesterday:  13.9 miles
Highest Wind Run
July 2026  21.4 miles
04 July
2026  101.4 miles
07 February
July  96.9 miles
on 29 July 2017
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: 2.76 in
Season Total: 14.21 in
3 days since last rain.

Days Since Last Dry Day: 0
Station High July 2026
High Day:  0.68 in
09 July
High Hour:  0.67 in
10 July at 6:32 PM
High Rain Rate /hr:  5.38 in
10 July at 6:12 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 July
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:  12.80 in
at 15:26 on 22 July 2020
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: Widespread Showers And Thunderstorms
Widespread Showers And T-Storms
Tonight

Tonight: Widespread Showers And Thunderstorms
Widespread Showers And T-Storms
Wednesday

Wednesday: Isolated Rain Showers then Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
Isolated Rain Showers then Scattered Showers And T-Storms
Hi 90 °F Lo 70 °F Hi 85 °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 6.0% since last hour.
Dew Point: 76.6°F Decreased 2.7°F since last hour.
Barometer: 29.73 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: 6:00am
Sunset: 8:31pm
Moonset: 12:00am
Moonrise: 2:01pm

Day Length:  14:28
Dawn:  05:31
Dusk:  21:01
Daylight Length:  15:29
 There will be 1min 32s less daylight tomorrow

Cloud Base

cloudbase
CB AGL: 2923 ft
UV Index

   1.1   
 Low 
High: 6.3 @ 1:34pm

Solar Radiation
134 W/m2
High: 812 @  1:20pm

Air Quality Index
Current AQI
33
  Good

Sunlight

14 hrs 31 min 37 sec
of Sunlight Today
Which is
1 min 32 sec Shorter
Than Yesterday

(Noon)
graph (Midnight)
Legend

Moon


Waxing Gibbous
Waxing Gibbous, Moon at 7 days in cycle
54% %
Illuminated
 NWS Weather Forecast  - Outlook: This Afternoon & Tonight
This
Afternoon
This Afternoon: Widespread Showers And Thunderstorms
Widespread Showers And T-Storms

Hi 90 °F
NWS forecast: Widespread showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could be severe. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 90. Southwest wind around 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Davis VP+ forecast: Mostly cloudy with little temperature change. Precipitation likely. Windy with possible wind shift to the W, NW, or N.
  Tonight

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

Lo 70 °F
NWS forecast: Widespread showers and thunderstorms. Some of the storms could be severe. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. Southwest wind 7 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
 NWS Weather Forecast  - Five Day Outlook for This Afternoon through Saturday - Last Update: Tue, 21-Jul-2026 2:51pm EDT
This
Afternoon
This Afternoon: Widespread Showers And Thunderstorms
Widespread Showers And T-Storms
Tonight

Tonight: Widespread Showers And Thunderstorms
Widespread Showers And T-Storms
Wednesday

Wednesday: Isolated Rain Showers then Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
Isolated Rain Showers then Scattered Showers And T-Storms
Wednesday
Night
Wednesday Night: Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy
Scattered Showers And T-Storms then Mostly Cloudy
Thursday

Thursday: Mostly Sunny
Mostly Sunny
Thursday
Night
Thursday Night: Partly Cloudy
Partly Cloudy
Friday

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

Saturday: Slight Chance Rain Showers
Slight Chance Rain Showers
Hi 90 °F Lo 70 °F Hi 85 °F Lo 63 °F Hi 80 °F Lo 61 °F Hi 81 °F Lo 63 °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

Lightning
At any given moment, there are about 1,800 thunderstorms happening around the world. Approximately 100 lightning bolts strike the earth every second.

Today in Weather History

Weather History for July 21
 
1984   Thunderstorms dropped 6 to 13 inches of rain at Tulsa, OK in 6 hours. The flooding claimed 14 lives and caused $90 million in property damage. 4600 cars, 743 houses, and 387 apartments were destroyed or severely damaged in the flood.

1967   A slow moving nor'easter battered New England with high winds, heavy rain, and record late season snow. Winds 70 to 90 mph in gusts occurred along the coast. Over 7 inches of rain fell at Nantucket, MS with 6.57 inches falling in 24 hours to set a new 24 hour rainfall record. 24.9 inches of snow fell at Mount Washington, NH to set a new May snowfall record.