Memorial Day began gray and damp across the D.C. region, with scattered showers, overcast skies and a blanket of fog that settled over much of the area early Monday morning. The wet start was expected to slow early travel and could also affect portions of the Memorial Day Parade in Washington.
Jordan Evans said visibility may drop to a quarter mile or less in some spots as the fog thickened before sunrise. The low clouds and mist were part of a morning that stayed muggy and cloudy, with temperatures expected to climb into the 70s even as humidity remained high.
Rain was expected to become more scattered by the afternoon, and a few thunderstorms were possible as a warm front approached the area. Southern Maryland could see a few of those storms, though no severe weather was expected. Steve Rudin said there would be “a few lingering showers and patchy drizzle for the immediate metro area,” a reminder that the day would not turn fully dry even after the morning fog started to ease.
Some dry time was possible Monday evening, but the break would not last long. Overnight temperatures were expected to fall into the low to mid 60s, and patchy fog was expected to return. The combination of moisture and soft winds means the region is likely to wake up Tuesday with another round of damp, hazy conditions.
The unsettled pattern is expected to linger through midweek, with a nearby boundary keeping daily chances for showers and storms in the forecast. That means the weather will stay changeable for several days, even as the rain becomes more hit-or-miss rather than steady.
There is better news later in the week. Sunshine is expected to return and humidity should drop heading into Thursday and Friday, giving the region a more comfortable stretch after a Memorial Day that starts off under low clouds and drizzle. For people planning outdoor observances, the real change comes late in the week, when the air turns drier and the skies begin to clear.
