Washington, DC is waking up to a gray, cool Thursday, May 14 — expect a high of just 65°F with scattered rain showers, mostly cloudy skies, and a northwest wind of 8 to 14 mph with gusts near 23 mph. If you’re heading out today, tuck a packable rain jacket into your bag before you leave.
Today’s Setup
A closed upper-level low pressure system is looping across the northern Mid-Atlantic, pulling cool air and broken stratocumulus clouds over the DMV, according to the National Weather Service. Scattered showers are possible through the morning commute — especially east of I-95 — but total rainfall should stay under a tenth of an inch. Any patchy fog from overnight will clear as northwest winds build around sunrise. Below-normal temperatures are the dominant story today.
Best Time To Be Outside
Mid-to-late afternoon offers your widest dry window. Showers should taper off before sunset, and tonight’s lingering rain is expected to end around 8 PM ET, giving way to partly cloudy skies and a low near 50°F. If you have plans tonight — say, the Great Gatsby touring production at The National Theatre — you should be fine heading out post-dinner.
Rain and Wind Risk
No severe weather threat today. The Weather Prediction Center places flash flood probability at less than 5% for the DC area. The main nuisance is the wind: gusts to 23 mph will make open spots like the National Mall and the Tidal Basin waterfront feel noticeably raw.
What To Wear or Bring
Layer up — 65°F with a stiff northwest wind will feel closer to the upper 50s. That packable rain jacket earns its keep. Allergy sufferers, note that post-rain conditions can stir up pollen as everything dries out: Zyrtec 24 hour allergy 90 count or Claritin non-drowsy allergy can help you get through the day comfortably.
Weekend Events and Gameday Outlook
Friday is a complete turnaround — mostly sunny with a high near 74°F and a light 12 mph breeze. A great day to get outside; if you’re a golfer, check out the best golf balls for high handicappers before you tee off.
The Washington Nationals host the Baltimore Orioles at Nationals Park on Friday (Hot Dog Hat day!), Saturday, and Sunday. Saturday’s high climbs near 84°F — prime tailgate weather. Grab a Washington Nationals jersey or Washington Nationals fitted cap and Get tickets on SeatGeek for any game in the series.
Saturday night is stacked with options: the Bilmuri Kinda Hard Tour hits The Anthem on May 16 — a warm evening built for live music. Rock a Bilmuri hoodie or Bilmuri hat and Find tickets on StubHub. Andres Cepeda performs at Lincoln Theatre that same night, and D.C. United hosts St. Louis CITY SC at Audi Field.
Dinner Tonight
This cool, dreary weather is made for something slow and warming. Load up a programmable slow cooker with chili or beef stew before you head to work and come home to dinner ready. Prefer stovetop? An enameled cast iron Dutch oven is perfect for a big pot of soup. Need ingredients? You can order groceries on Amazon and have everything for tonight’s dinner delivered to your door.
Next Few Days
- Thursday night: Showers end around 8 PM ET; partly cloudy, low near 50°F
- Friday: Mostly sunny and pleasant, high near 74°F
- Saturday onward: Temperatures jump to near 84°F — well above average — and the National Weather Service expects daily shower and thunderstorm chances to develop through the middle of next week
