Today, heavy rain and thunderstorms are having big effects on the weather in Washington, D.C. Coastal flooding is a worry across the District.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has put out a Coastal Flood Advisory that lasts until this evening at 7 PM EDT. The prediction also calls for a few showers after 2 a.m., which will make it cloudy, hard to see, and very humid.
There is a 90% chance of rain and a high temperature near 80 degrees during this bad weather. There will be showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 8 a.m., followed by isolated showers. The wind will be pretty calm; it will only blow from the south at 3 to 6 mph.
The NWS also says that parts of the District’s shoreline could see “up to one foot of inundation above ground level in low lying areas due to tidal flooding” during a Coastal Flood Watch that starts late Friday night and ends early Saturday morning.
The weather forecast for Friday doesn’t look good for dry conditions—there’s an 80% chance of showers after 8 a.m., which could mess up both your morning drive and your plans to be outside.
East winds could gust as high as 18 mph, and new rain or snow of between a tenth and a quarter of an inch is possible. It looks like rain will be the main weather pattern this week.
The danger is still there, and the coastal flood effects are likely to be worst along the seawall next to Ohio Drive, Hains Point Loop Road, and the Tidal Basin. “Shoreline inundation is expected along portions of the seawall adjacent to Ohio Drive and the Hains Point Loop Road and near the Tidal Basin,” the NWS warns.
Rising tides and continuous rain should warn people to be ready for road closures and possible property damage. The NWS stresses the need for extra safety measures in flood-prone areas.
The unsettling trend will last through the weekend, with a 30–50% chance of rain from Saturday to Tuesday. On Wednesday, the skies will finally clear up. Before that, people in Washington must deal with a landscape flooded with unpredictable tides while keeping an eye on the sky for the next weather report.