Dog-Day Downpour: Wild Weather Wallops Washington, DC (Photos, Videos)

Temperatures soared in Washington Tuesday, reaching the mid-90s, but with a very high humidity and dew point making it feel well over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. As Washingtonians broiled in the August “dog-day” heat, conditions arose in the atmosphere for strong thunderstorms to quickly materialize.

​Washingtonians were caught off-guard by the sudden storms, which struck at the beginning of the evening rush hour. Satellite images show that no storm front approached the city - the storms suddenly exploded overhead as the conditions grew ripe for their rapid intensification.

​The Washington Post noted that in less than an hour, more than 1 inch of rain fell on the city, with some places expected to receive as much as 3 inches. A flood warning was issued alongside the severe thunderstorm warning, and downtown Metro stations were inundated with the rushing water.

​The storm updrafts were so powerful that they produced large hail, with ice balls up to 2.5 inches thick falling just blocks from the US Capitol building.

​Wind gusts of nearly 60 miles per hour were reported at Andrews Air Force Base southeast of the city, but things got pretty dicey in town as well.

​Eventually, the slow-moving storms released their pent-up energy and slid eastward, toward the Chesapeake Bay. With the sun setting in the west, locals snapped up pictures of the beautiful rainbows that tailed the storm.

​According to the Post, the wild weather may not yet be over: muggy conditions are expected to last the rest of the week, meaning the conditions for Tuesday’s deluge could potentially be replicated in the days to come.