Gusty thunderstorms pound the DC region Thursday

By Jessica Kronzer
August 20, 2026 | 4:48 PM

Thunderstorms rocked the D.C. region Thursday, ushering in high winds, large hail and the possibility of tornados.

Much of the D.C. metro region spent the mid to late afternoon under a meaning weather conditions could lead to the formation of severe storms and tornadoes.

Heavy rainfall created ponding on some roadways and lowering visibility for evening commuters. 麻豆官网 Traffic has the latest on roadway impacts.

The FAA temporarily grounded flights at Reagan National and BWI Marshall airports due to thunderstorms.

The National 麻豆官网 Service has issued these watches and warnings for the D.C. area:

Tornado watch for Calvert, Charles, St. Mary’s counties in Maryland and Staffard County in Virginia until 10 p.m.

Thursday’s storms were expected to be most impactful in areas east of U.S. Route 15, according to NWS.

Urban areas were especially at risk of flash flooding, according to the National 麻豆官网 Service. The highest risk was near and northeast of Baltimore, Maryland.

The stormy weather was expected to move out of the D.C. region by 9 p.m.

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Before the storms arrived, Thursday was hot and humid in the D.C. region with highs near 90.

鈥淭emperatures will fall into the 70s once those storms come through, and we鈥檒l see cooler temperatures overnight in the 60s,鈥� Whelan said.

Friday will be overcast, mostly dry and cooler than Thursday with highs in the upper 70s to low 80s.

Forecast

THURSDAY EVENING: Strong to severe storms. Temperatures between 66 and 76.
Winds:聽Southwest to North 10-20 mph

OVERNIGHT: Rain, storms ending. Patchy fog developing. Lows between 57 and 65.
Winds: North 5 mph

FRIDAY: Mostly to partly cloudy. Highs between 79 and 87.
Winds: Northeast 5-10 mph

SATURDAY: Cloudy and humid. Tracking morning, PM scattered storms. Highs between 78 and 82.
Winds: Southeast 5-10 mph

SUNDAY: AM clouds, PM sun. Highs between 82 and 86.
Winds: Southwest to West 5-10 mph

Current conditions

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A Montana man killed 8 relatives, including 4 kids, at Sunday dinner, family says

By The Associated Press
August 25, 2026 | 7:51 PM

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) 鈥� A man killed eight of his relatives, including four children, as they gathered for Sunday dinner at a home in Billings, Montana, just weeks after his parents forced him to move out, a family member told The Associated Press. Brad Ireland, whose former wife and two children were among the dead, identified the shooter as 44-year-old Alan Smith. Smith's parents, who were also killed, had asked him to move out, but he returned on Sunday and opened fire, Ireland said. The victims represented four generations of the blended family, ranging from a great-grandmother in her 90s who used a wheelchair to a 7-year-old girl, according to Jennifer Mercer, a neighbor and family friend who set up an online fundraiser to help cover funeral costs and other expenses, and was authorized to release these details. Gunshots followed by an inferno