Forecast: Showery in the Short Term

Late week drying trend

Those late afternoon and evening downpours we've all become accustomed to stay in the picture through Wednesday. Could it be that by Thursday you can leave home without the umbrella? Could the upcoming weekend even be dry? If you want the answers to these questions to be yes, you're going to like this forecast...

TODAY (MONDAY)

Radar: Latest D.C. area radar loop, courtesy National Weather Service. Colored boxes represent severe warnings (key). Refresh page to update, or click on image to expand.

Partly sunny. 50% chance of p.m. showers and t'storms. 84-88. Just like the last few days, we'll have more clouds than sun, but enough sun to heat it up well into the 80s. And the relentless, moist flow from the south will keep it muggy. Showers could develop any time, but most likely during the late afternoon and early evening when they may be heavy and accompanied by thunder.

Overnight, shower and thunderstorm chances gradually drop from about 50% mid evening to 20% after midnight. Low temperatures will drop to about 70.

Confidence: Medium-High

Keep reading for the forecast through the week.

A towering cumulonimbus cloud and a pink sky in Oakton, Va. Saturday night. By Capital Weather Gang photographer Kevin Ambrose.

TOMORROW (TUESDAY)

Partly sunny and very warm. 30% chance of showers and storms. 87-91. The warm, humid feed of air from the south will continue Tuesday. A few showers and storms should develop in the sticky air late in the day, but will be hit or miss.

Any scattered storms Tuesday evening will dissipate or move away by midnight. Skies will generally be partly cloudy with lows in the low 70s.

Confidence: Medium-High

A LOOK AHEAD

Warm and sticky again Wednesday, with a decent chance of showers and storms in the afternoon and evening due to a passing cold front. Highs will be near 90. Confidence: Medium-High

Thursday and Friday will likely be partly to mostly sunny, less humid and rain-free. Highs should reach the mid to upper 80s. Confidence: Medium-High

It starts to heat up some next weekend. Temperatures should be back up to 90 on Saturday and possibly into the mid 90s by Sunday. Right now, both days look dry, but keep checking back -- as these forecast details could change. Confidence: Medium