Wave Goodbye: Record Heat Peaking

5:45 Update: Other highs: Dulles 99° (tied record), BWI 100° (tied record), Baltimore downtown 102°.
Also setting new records were: Norfolk 102°, Richmond 102°, Salisbury 97°.

Now

Historically Hot: The analysts on CNBC often say, "It's just a number", referring to stock index values ending in multiple zeroes. Psychologically, however, it does have a certain ring to it: At 2:10 today, the official Washington temperature of 101° broke the record set in the historic heat wave of 1930. This morning's low of 81° was also the warmest low for the date, exceeding the 78° in 1995. Other stations joining in the centennial festivity this afternoon included: Ft. Belvoir, Fredericksburg, Leesburg, Winchester, Patuxent River, and BWI. Even at the beach, Ocean City clocked in at 99°. Click here to view the latest hourly heat index values from WUSA-TV9. The Excessive Heat Warning for the area continues until 9pm tonight.

Regional radar is again mainly dry, except for some scattered activity south of Charlottesville.

Tonight and Tomorrow

Not as hot: We have one more stifling night ahead as a cold front gradually approaches from the northwest. Lows will be in the low 80s in the warmest urban areas to the upper 70s in the 'burbs. Tomorrow's highs will be "just" in the low 90s with only a 30% chance of a thundershower.

Scroll down to Josh's post below for the outlook through the weekend and the rest of Larson's Long-Range.

Tropical Topics

Tropical Storm Chris exceeded expectations with 65 mph peak winds yesterday, but the latest advisory puts it down at minimum storm strength of 40 mph. The storm is now considered likely to become tropically depressed as it continues to track west-northwesterly through the northern Caribbean.