Summer Heat Builds Again With Increasing Humidity and Afternoon Storm Chances
Maryland heads into Tuesday with a return to hotter and more humid conditions as high pressure strengthens over the Mid-Atlantic. The morning will be quiet with dry travel conditions statewide, but temperatures and humidity will climb quickly through the afternoon. By late day, scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop, especially along and west of the I-81 and I-270 corridors before spreading east. While many communities will remain dry, any storm that forms could produce torrential rainfall, frequent lightning, gusty winds, and localized flooding. Temperatures will climb into the upper 80s and lower 90s across much of the state, with heat index values reaching the mid to upper 90s in many locations.
Morning Commute
Tuesday begins warm and mainly dry across Maryland.
Early morning temperatures will range from the mid-60s in Garrett County to the upper 60s and lower 70s across Central Maryland, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore. A mix of sunshine and a few clouds is expected, with patchy valley fog possible in portions of Garrett and Allegany counties around sunrise.
Travel conditions should be excellent statewide with dry pavement, good visibility for most areas, and no widespread weather-related delays anticipated.
Daytime Forecast
Temperatures will climb rapidly through the morning, reaching the upper 80s to lower 90s by afternoon. Humidity will increase noticeably, making it feel several degrees hotter than the actual air temperature.
Clouds will gradually build through the afternoon as scattered thunderstorms develop. Storm coverage will remain scattered, meaning many locations will stay dry, but any storm that develops may become briefly strong with heavy rainfall and gusty winds.
Western Maryland
Garrett County
Highs will reach the upper 70s to near 80°. Partly sunny skies during the morning will give way to increasing clouds with scattered afternoon thunderstorms developing over the higher elevations.
Allegany County
Temperatures will climb into the lower 80s. Expect a mix of sunshine and clouds with thunderstorms becoming possible after lunchtime.
Washington County
Hagerstown and surrounding communities will reach the mid-80s. Heat and humidity increase through the afternoon before scattered thunderstorms develop.
Frederick & Carroll Counties
Frederick, Westminster, Eldersburg, Mount Airy, and surrounding communities will warm into the mid to upper 80s. Most of the morning remains sunny before afternoon clouds increase. Scattered thunderstorms are possible after 2 PM.
Baltimore Metro
Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Harford County, Howard County, and Anne Arundel County will experience one of the warmer days of the week.
Afternoon highs will reach the upper 80s to near 90°. Humidity will make it feel closer to the middle 90s. While much of the day remains dry, isolated to scattered thunderstorms could develop during the late afternoon and early evening.
Central Maryland & Washington Suburbs
Montgomery and Prince George’s counties will reach around 90° under partly sunny skies.
The combination of heat and humidity will create uncomfortable conditions during peak afternoon hours. Thunderstorm chances increase after mid-afternoon.
Southern Maryland
Charles, Calvert, and St. Mary’s counties will be among the hottest locations in Maryland.
High temperatures around 90° with heat index values approaching the mid-90s are expected. Outdoor activities should be planned for the morning whenever possible. Scattered thunderstorms may develop late in the afternoon.
Upper Eastern Shore
Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Caroline, and Talbot counties will reach the upper 80s to around 90°.
Partly sunny skies will dominate through much of the day before isolated thunderstorms become possible during the late afternoon.
Lower Eastern Shore
Dorchester, Wicomico, Somerset, and Worcester counties will warm into the upper 80s inland.
Ocean City and Assateague will remain cooler in the lower 80s thanks to an afternoon sea breeze.
Most beach communities should remain dry through much of the day, though an isolated inland thunderstorm cannot be ruled out during the evening.
Chesapeake Bay & Marine Forecast
Boating conditions should remain relatively calm during the morning with light winds and generally favorable conditions.
By afternoon and evening, any thunderstorm moving across the Chesapeake Bay could produce dangerous cloud-to-water lightning, sudden wind gusts over 35 mph, rough waves, and sharply reduced visibility. Boaters should monitor radar closely before heading onto the water.
Evening Forecast
Scattered thunderstorms will continue into the early evening before gradually weakening after sunset.
The strongest storms may produce:
- Torrential rainfall
- Frequent lightning
- Wind gusts between 40 and 50 mph
- Localized flooding of low-lying roads and poor-drainage areas
- Brief reductions in visibility
Overnight temperatures will only fall into the upper 60s and lower 70s, keeping conditions warm and humid.
Looking Ahead
Wednesday appears even hotter, with widespread low to mid-90s expected across much of Maryland. Heat index values may approach or exceed 100° in some locations if sunshine dominates. Daily chances for isolated to scattered afternoon thunderstorms are expected to continue as the summertime pattern remains in place.
Bottom Line
Tuesday will bring another classic Maryland summer day with a quiet morning, increasing afternoon heat and humidity, and scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day. Most communities will remain dry for several hours, but any storm that develops could become briefly heavy with gusty winds and dangerous lightning.
If you have outdoor plans, the best window will be during the morning through early afternoon before storms begin to develop.
Stay with MD Weather Alerts throughout the day for the latest forecast updates, live radar, and any watches or warnings issued across Maryland. 🌤️⛈️
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