Wednesday will mark our 18th consecutive day without rain, but it looks like the streak will end Thursday.
A cold front pushing into the region late Wednesday night is likely to trigger showers early Thursday, bringing some welcome moisture to our parched soils. Initial rainfall amounts look quite light — generally less than a tenth of an inch.
Rain could become more substantial later Thursday into early Friday, however, depending on the track of an area of low pressure developing along the front.
If the low tracks directly over our region, we could see more than half an inch of rain between late Thursday and early Friday. But if it develops too far east, the heaviest rain could focus on Southern Maryland and the Delmarva Peninsula, leaving areas to the north and west with much more modest totals — less than a quarter-inch.
Stay tuned as the forecast comes into better focus.
How unusual is this dry spell?
While impressive, a 18-day rainless streak isn’t particularly unusual. Over the past 50 years, the longest rain-free stretch in a given year has averaged about 17 days.
In fact, DC has already experienced a longer dry spell this year: a 20-day streak from Jan. 26 to Feb. 14, following the Snowcrete winter storm.
To crack the top ten longest rainless streaks on record, the current stretch would need to reach at least 25 days. The all-time record is 38 consecutive days without measurable precipitation, from Oct. 3 through Nov. 9, 2024.
Ian Livingston contributed to this report.
Published Date : 2026-11-04 15:54:00
Source : www.capitalweather.com
