Patti

Aloha, We will be in Washington DC in 3 days.I checked weather.com and the 10 day forcast includes thundershowers/storms.Should we bring a rain jacket?Otherwise I have been told it is very hot right now and I am planning to travel light with shorts and now might be cold.Please advise,Thank You,Patti

Willard

Even the experienced weather person can not be 100% certain of the weather, especially during the simmer months. What do you consider cold? Certainly will not get below 65° - 70°. It is probably warmer in D.C. than it is is Hawaii right now. Leave the rain jacket at home. Get a small folding umbrella and a hat.

Sarah

I think you are always smart to take rain jackets whatever the weather is saying. I always bring to Hawaii keeps you prepared. You can buy small umbrellas cheap also $5. Having the right clothes in the rain make it a non-issue. They help also if weather kicks up some cool air but that is not likely in DC this time of year. Having said that when I lived in Hawaii I remember smokey chimnies and people turning on space heaters when the temperature fell to the low seventies. I always got a kick out of this.

Hope you are excited. YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE DC. Remember to get on line at about 7 am (that is what a securty guard told me in June) for tickets to the capital. They are given out at a first come first serve basis at 8:45. There is a beautiful rotundra here.

I would also be on a search for the best crab cakes I could have. I remember mail order catalogues of these in Hawaii. Stay away from restaurants along the water front. White house tourist office sent me to Phillips for crab cakes here and they were terrible.
Later another poster told me the entire area is terrible.
Franklin Exchange inside the crowne plaza hotel had excellent crab cakes. Enjoy.

GREAT CHEAP NO FRILLS BREAKFAST ACROSS THE STREET FROM FORD"S THEATRE. The Waffle House, you can try grits here.

Christina

That is the prediction and it does seem to rain frequently here in the summer, late afternoon thunderstorms. They can be very heavy but don't usually last too long (maybe an hour or two). If you have a very lightweight rain jacket, you could bring it (something that rolls up small to carry around in a tote?). It will be so hot (even if it cools down a little to the 80s) that you won't need it for warmth, however, just to keep you dry in the downpours. If space is tight, I think you can omit it with no problem, just do bring an umbrella as you will probably need it. I will admit I don't ever wear a rain jacket in the summer, regardless of the weather -- however, I don't have much need to walk around during thunderstorms so avoid them and just stay inside when it rains a lot.

You probably won't be too cold with shorts, presuming you mean what you will wear tromping around in the day time. I'm sure it won't get below 80, and that would be wonderful for a change (and it will probably be hotter than that). It is humid in DC so even in the evenings it is rarely cool in the summer. I presume you plan to bring something other than shorts for night time plans?

Patti

I lived in Hawaii I remember smokey chimnies and people turning on space heaters when the temperature fell to the low seventies. I always got a kick out of this.

Aloha, Yes our family gets really cold when the temperature reaches the low 70's.Thank You all for the posts. I will bring a umbrella/light rain jacket and I have long pants for the evening.I am looking forward to crab cakes & tasting grits for the first time.I would love to see the capital, thanks for the early tip.Best Wishes, Patti