Cooler temperatures and plenty of rain are in the forecast for Montgomery County and surrounding areas in D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia this week, as summer officially comes to an end.
The first day of astronomical fall arrives Tuesday, September 22, with the autumnal equinox occurring at 8:04pm EDT. Before then, Monday is expected to reach the low to mid 70s, with thunderstorms likely during the afternoon. Temperatures will drop further around the official start of fall, with highs generally reaching only the low to mid 60s Tuesday through Thursday. Rain and showers are expected to be a recurring part of the forecast during that stretch.
According to the National Weather Service, a lingering frontal boundary could bring intermittent showers during the middle and latter portions of the week. Forecasters are also monitoring a strong coastal low expected to track north near the Maryland coast Thursday into Friday. The system could bring gusty conditions to the region, while strong onshore winds may result in minor coastal flooding along portions of the Chesapeake Bay.
Conditions are expected to gradually improve as the system moves north and drier air works into the region. The National Weather Service noted some uncertainty regarding how quickly the coastal low will depart, which could determine how long elevated winds stick around.
Rain is currently expected to clear out by Friday, setting up a somewhat drier weekend. High temperatures are expected to rebound into the upper 60s and low 70s over the weekend before another cooler and drier start to next week. Temperatures are expected to remain slightly below average for much of the period before gradually increasing toward the end of the week.
