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South Kensington, Maryland Weather

Cicadas claim the afternoon. Day 14 of summer. Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

South Kensington weather forecast — hour by hour, 7-day outlook, NOAA radar

South Kensington, MD
Saturday, July 4 at 7:02 PM
76
°
Overcast
Feels like
78°
Humidity
75%
Wind
11 mph
Sunrise
1:47 AM
Sunset
4:37 PM
South Kensington, MD
Hour by hour · 24h
24-Hour ForecastSouth Kensington, MD: 24-hour forecast. Temperatures range from 75 to 97 degrees Fahrenheit with a 48% chance of precipitation at 7 PM.
L 75°H 97°
South Kensington, MD
7-day forecast
  1. Today
    Jul 4
    Heavy Drizzle
    48%
    0.05″
    101°76°—
  2. Sunday
    Jul 5
    Heavy Rain
    49%
    0.45″
    97°75°-4°
  3. Monday
    Jul 6
    Drizzle
    78%
    0.03″
    84°73°-13°
  4. Tuesday
    Jul 7
    Thunderstorm
    78%
    0.99″
    90°69°+6°
  5. Wednesday
    Jul 8
    Light Showers
    38%
    0.14″
    77°69°-13°
  6. Thursday
    Jul 9
    Overcast
    11%
    —
    92°66°+15°
  7. Friday
    Jul 10
    Light Drizzle
    44%
    0.04″
    90°72°-2°
South Kensington, MD
Next 24 hours · Mild now
HOT 90°70°88°105°6p12a6a12pnow 76°high 97°low 75°PRECIP %
South Kensington, MD
Anemometer · 24h winds · from true
NESW
From · True
NE
038° · veering 105°
Direction
NE
038°
Sustained
11
mph
Gust
17
mph
Peak 24h
17
avg 4
Beaufort · 3 · GENTLE BRZ
0
CALM
<1
1
LIGHT AIR
1–3
2
LIGHT BRZ
4–7
3
GENTLE BRZ
8–12
4
MOD BRZ
13–18
5
FRESH BRZ
19–24
6
STRONG BRZ
25–31
7
NEAR GALE
32–38
24h · sust vs gust · mph
avg 4 · pk 17 @ 7:00p
010203040MPHB1B2B3B4B5B6B7B8-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOWpk 342SUSTGUST
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Light breeze veering 105° from the ne.
South Kensington, MD
Barometer · 24h pressure · mb
STORMRAINCHANGEFAIRDRY9901000101010201030
Pressure · mb
1003.1
+0.5 mb in 3h · steady · 29.62 inHg
Now
1003.1
mb
3h
+0.5
mb
12h
-1.9
mb
24h
-1.2
mb
Regime · RAIN
STORM
RAIN
CHANGE
FAIR
DRY
24h · Pressure · mb
range 1001–1006
9951000STORM|RAIN10051010RAIN|CHG1015CHG|FAIR10201025FAIR|DRY1030-21h-18h-15h-12h-9h-6h-3h-24hNOW1005.81001.11003.1
−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Damp, unsettled regime — wet weather lingers nearby.
South Kensington, MD
Air quality
88
AQI
Moderate
↑+37 in 6h

AQI 88 (Moderate), driven by Ozone. AQI up 37 in the last 6 hours — air quality is degrading. Ozone at AQI 55. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~100%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.

OK No precautions needed for the general population; unusually sensitive individuals may consider limiting prolonged outdoor exertion.

PM 2.5Good
9.6μg/m³
PM 10Good
10μg/m³
NO₂Good
7μg/m³
OzoneDRIVERUnhealthy SG
110μg/m³
UV IndexLow
0.5

What's driving it

Ozone × UV × Sky

Ozone at AQI 55. Overcast through the UV peak window (cloud cover ~100%) — afternoon ozone should stay flat.

Present
AQI 55
UV peak
0.4 at 1 PM
Sky at peak
overcast
Projected peak
AQI 7

PM × Wind × Precip

PM2.5 at 9.6 µg/m³, PM10 at 10.1 µg/m³ — typical background levels with no transport signature.

PM2.5/PM10
0.95
Wind
breezy
Recent rain
1h in last 6h
Pattern
background

Trends

Seven days of AQI and PM2.5.

Hourly air-quality data from the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service, charted across the past and next several days. Dashed lines mark the AQI breakpoints at 50 (Good → Moderate) and 100 (Moderate → Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups).

7-DAY AQI TREND50100SATSUNMONTUEWEDTHUFRISAT7-DAY PM2.5 TREND · μg/m³360
South Kensington, MD
Sky cover · visibility · 24h
Cloud cover
100%
OVERCAST
100%0%−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Visibility
43.4mi
UNLIMITED
108 mi0 mi−24h−18h−12h−6hnow
Earth · GOES-19 ABI
Full Disk · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 full disk Visible · GeoColor
True-color daytime, blue/IR sandwich at night
23:02 UTC · South Kensington, MD · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · up to 10848 px
Continental US · GOES-19 ABI
CONUS Sector · Visible · GeoColor
GOES-19 CONUS Visible · GeoColor
Daytime true-color, blue-light/IR sandwich at night
23:02 UTC · South Kensington, MD · NOAA NESDIS / STAR · 5-min cadence · up to 10000 px
South Kensington, MD
Satellite · infrared · animated
South Kensington, MD
Loading IR frames…
IR · cloud-top temp© RainViewer · Carto
South Kensington, MD
Almanac · Saturday, July 4
If the first of July be rainy weather, 'twill rain more or less for four weeks together.
Civil dawn
5:17 AM
Sunrise
1:47 AM
Daylight
14h 50m
Sunset
4:37 PM
Civil dusk
9:10 PM
Planting note
Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.
South Kensington, MD
The moon
Waning Gibbous
78% illuminated
Moonrise
11:00 PM
Moonset
10:13 AM
In sign
♓︎ Pisces
South Kensington, MD
Microseason
Jul 1–5

Cicadas claim the afternoon

plant
Jan 151% of the yearDec 31

Read this microseason across nine climate regions →

South Kensington at a glance

  • Today vs. normal: 3°F above the seasonal normal for this latitude
  • Last frost: April 10 (climatological average for this latitude)
  • Microseason: Jul 1–5
  • Planting window: Harvest early potatoes. Begin drying onions on the surface.

16-Day Forecast — South Kensington

  1. Sat101°76°48%
  2. Sun97°75°49%
  3. Mon84°73°78%
  4. Tue90°69°78%
  5. Wed77°69°38%
  6. Thu92°66°11%
  7. Fri90°72°44%
  8. Sat90°69°37%
  9. Sun82°67°23%
  10. Mon82°69°20%
  11. Tue87°64°18%
  12. Wed91°67°33%
  13. Thu94°69°37%
  14. Fri85°73°42%
  15. Sat91°71°44%
  16. Sun87°70°46%

Forecast data from Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0).

Right now in the garden

Peak growing season

As of July 4, the growing season is at its peak — frost is months away. Continue succession-planting beans and summer squash. Start fall brassicas (broccoli, cabbage, kale) from seed indoors for transplanting in late summer.

SPC Convective Outlook

Storm Prediction Center — South Kensington

SPC has placed South Kensington in the Enhanced Risk category for severe thunderstorms today.

  • TODAYENHEnhanced Risk
  • TOMORROWSLGTSlight Risk
  • DAY 3TSTMGeneral Thunderstorms

Numerous severe storms likely. Tornadoes, large hail, and damaging wind gusts possible across the area. Track NWS warnings if storms develop.

Source: NOAA / NWS Storm Prediction Center categorical convective outlook. Outlooks are re-issued multiple times per day; this page reflects the most recent SPC polygons covering the city’s coordinates.

January 1–5: The year turns in silence.January 6–10: Ice thickens on still water.January 11–15: Shortest shadows lengthen.January 16–20: Pheasants begin to call.January 21–25: Springs begin to thaw.January 26–31: Chickadees announce dawn.February 1–5: East wind softens the frost.February 6–10: Sap begins to rise.February 11–15: First snowdrops appear.February 16–20: Red-winged blackbirds return.February 21–25: Rain begins to replace snow.February 26–28: Skunk cabbage pushes through ice.March 1–5: Ice withdraws from the reservoir.March 6–10: Crocuses open to weak sun.March 11–15: Peepers call from the marsh.March 16–20: Woodcocks spiral at dusk.March 21–25: Equinox — light overtakes dark.March 26–31: Forsythia opens along the fences.April 1–5: Cherry blossoms drift like snow.April 6–10: Warblers appear in the understory.April 11–15: Magnolias bloom and fall in a day.April 16–20: Dogwoods float above the forest.April 21–25: Lilacs perfume the evening.April 26–30: Last frost releases the garden.May 1–5: Warblers flood the Ramble.May 6–10: Tulip poplars light their candles.May 11–15: Shad run up the rivers.May 16–20: Roses open along the stoops.May 21–25: Firefly scouts appear at dusk.May 26–31: Strawberries ripen in the sun.June 1–5: Fireflies rise from the lawn.June 6–10: Elderflowers open in hedgerows.June 11–15: Solstice approaches — longest light.June 16–20: Honeysuckle sweetens the night.June 21–25: Solstice — the sun stands still.June 26–30: Lightning bugs drift through oaks.July 1–5: Cicadas claim the afternoon.July 6–10: Queen Anne's lace lines the roads.July 11–15: Thunder builds each afternoon.July 16–20: Corn reaches for the tassels.July 21–25: Dog days settle in the haze.July 26–31: Katydids begin their chorus.August 1–5: Night falls a minute earlier.August 6–10: Sunflowers face the morning.August 11–15: Goldenrod begins to bloom.August 16–20: Crickets pulse through warm nights.August 21–25: First cool morning surprises.August 26–31: Monarchs stage for flight.September 1–5: School buses reappear.September 6–10: Asters purple the roadsides.September 11–15: Hawk migration over the Hudson.September 16–20: Equinox — dark overtakes light.September 21–25: Apples hang heavy on the branch.September 26–30: Geese begin to chevron south.October 1–5: Witch hazel blooms as others fade.October 6–10: Maples begin to blaze.October 11–15: Frost paints the garden black.October 16–20: Oaks turn bronze and russet.October 21–25: Leaves rattle down the gutters.October 26–31: Clocks fall back — dusk at five.November 1–5: Ginkgos drop overnight.November 6–10: Last leaves cling stubbornly.November 11–15: Juncos arrive from the north.November 16–20: Bare branches reveal the sky.November 21–25: First flurries dust the rooftops.November 26–30: Woodsmoke curls through the block.December 1–5: Darkness settles before dinner.December 6–10: Holly and winterberry persist.December 11–15: Shortest day approaches.December 16–20: Ice begins to form at the edges.December 21–25: Solstice — the sun begins return.December 26–31: The year turns in silence.🌱February 14 — First skunk-cabbage spathes thaw their way up☀️March 20 — Spring equinox — day and night balance🌸April 5 — Cherry blossoms peak in the parks🐦May 10 — Warbler migration peaks along the coast✨May 25 — First fireflies scout the meadows at dusk🌞June 21 — Summer solstice — longest day🦗July 25 — Peak cicada chorus in the afternoons🌊August 18 — Warmest sea-surface temperatures of the year🍂September 22 — Autumn equinox — the slow turn❄️October 25 — First widespread frost in the suburbs🍁November 10 — Peak leaf color across the Hudson Valley🌙December 21 — Winter solstice — longest night

Microseason · July 1–5

Cicadas claim the afternoon

Annual cicada buzz begins, peaking in the heat of the day.

Day 185 of 365 · Wedge 37 of 72

The solar year drawn as a wheel of 72 five-day windows. Each wedge is one microseason; the four colored arcs mark winter, spring, summer, and autumn; the small icons sit at notable phenological events. The crimson pointer creeps clockwise as the year turns.

Planting calendar

MonthPlantHarvest
January——
February——
March——
Aprillettuce, peas, spinach, radishes—
Maylettuce, peas, spinach, radishes, tomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Junetomatoes, peppers, beans, squashlettuce, peas, radishes
Julytomatoes, peppers, beans, squashtomatoes, beans, summer squash
August—tomatoes, beans, summer squash
Septemberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotstomatoes, beans, summer squash
Octoberfall brassicas, garlic (overwinter), carrotswinter squash, tomatoes (last)
November——
December——

A year in weather

In South Kensington, July runs warmest near 78°F and January coldest around 32°F, while August is the wettest month (4.2 inches) and October the driest (2.6 inches).

MonthMean tempPrecipRainy days
January32°3.3″13
February35°2.8″12
March44°3.4″15
April55°3.7″17
May63°3.5″18
June72°3.9″17
July78°3.2″17
August77°4.2″18
September70°3.4″14
October59°2.6″11
November46°3.6″12
December37°3.9″14

Regional context

By the nearest station's NOAA NCEI 1991-2020 normals, South Kensington sees 32°F Januarys and 78°F Julys, a 46°F range, plus around 41.5 inches of precipitation across 175 days.

Rainfall in South Kensington stays even across the calendar: August tops out at 4.2 inches over 17.8 rainy days, and October still logs 2.6 inches across 11.1 — a narrow range for South Kensington. That even rhythm groups South Kensington with places like Chevy Chase View, MD, Kensington, MD and North Chevy Chase, MD.

The cool-season window in South Kensington starts at mid-April, when nights stop freezing — think peas, lettuce, spinach, and radishes. Hold South Kensington's tender crops — tomatoes, peppers, basil — until 10-14 days past South Kensington's last frost. It shuts near mid-November, when freezes return to South Kensington and tender plants need cover. Within South Kensington, cold-air pooling chills low spots by 5-10°F, shifting South Kensington's local frost dates.

Similar climates: Chevy Chase View, MD, Kensington, MD, North Chevy Chase, MD, Garrett Park, MD, North Kensington, MD.

Frequently asked

When does it freeze in South Kensington?
In South Kensington, expect the last spring frost near mid-April; South Kensington's first autumn frost comes around mid-November.
What is the rainy season in South Kensington?
Rainfall in South Kensington peaks in August near 4.2 inches, out of about 42 inches annually.
What is the warmest month in South Kensington?
The warmest stretch in South Kensington comes in July, around 78°F on average.
What is the coldest month in South Kensington?
On average January is the chilliest month in South Kensington, about 32°F.
When can I start a vegetable garden in South Kensington?
South Kensington's last frost (mid-April) cues hardy greens; in South Kensington, hold heat-lovers two weeks past.
How many rainy days does South Kensington get?
Expect roughly 175 wet days a year in South Kensington.
What hardiness zone is South Kensington?
South Kensington's hardiness zone tracks its winter low; with January near 32°F, check the USDA ZIP map for the exact zone.
What is the 10-day forecast for South Kensington?
South Kensington's extended outlook — daily high and low temperatures and precipitation chances for each upcoming day — is in the daily forecast above.
Will it rain this week in South Kensington?
See this week's day-by-day rain chances for South Kensington in the daily forecast above, and the next 24 hours in the hourly chart.
What is the weather like right now in South Kensington?
Current conditions for South Kensington and the next 24 hours — temperature, precipitation chance, and wind by the hour — are in the hourly forecast chart above.
How often is the South Kensington forecast updated?
The South Kensington forecast on this page is built from Open-Meteo weather-model data and refreshes regularly through the day.
When are sunrise and sunset in South Kensington?
Today's sunrise and sunset times for South Kensington are in the Almanac section above, along with civil dawn, civil dusk, and day length. Day length is longest near the summer solstice and shortest near the winter solstice.
How accurate is the weather forecast for South Kensington?
The next few days in South Kensington's forecast are the most reliable; accuracy declines beyond about a week as weather-model uncertainty grows.

Climate

South Kensington, Maryland occupies a warm-summer humid continental zone, with January means near 32°F and July around 78°F — a 46°F swing.

Rain and snow bring South Kensington roughly 42 inches a year across approximately 175 measurable-precipitation days.

Latitude 39.0°N gives South Kensington its 46°F swing, and with it the rhythm of South Kensington's growing season.

All cities in Maryland →

Wheaton, MD weather →

ZIP codes in South Kensington

  • 20895
  • 20814

Climate normals from the Open-Meteo Climate API. Köppen approximation from NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Regions. See methodology for data sources, editorial rules, and corrections. Maintainer: Brian Tighe.