Topline<\/p>\n
President Donald Trump\u2019s highly anticipated UFC bout taking place on his 80th birthday at the White House is scheduled to begin at 8 p.m. on Sunday\u2014but the possibility of volatile weather in the Washington, D.C., area, including potential thunderstorms, high winds, hail, and also the chance for swarms of insects, could put a damper on the festivities tonight.<\/p>\n
Washington, D.C., faces the potential for thunderstorms, strong winds and hail during the mixed martial arts fight on the White House lawn.<\/p>\n
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.Key Facts<\/p>\n
D.C. could see scattered thunderstorms with \u201cdamaging wind gusts or large hail,\u201d the National Weather Service said in a forecast for the region on Sunday, with wind speeds reaching as high as 60-70 mph.<\/p>\n
In an update shortly before 2 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, forecasters at the NWS predicted two rounds of thunderstorms could reach D.C. between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m.\u2014lining up closely with the hours of the White House event.<\/p>\n
The Northeast is also experiencing a multi-day heat wave<\/a>, and the temperature in the capital could reach highs of 95 degrees Fahrenheit (the temperature in D.C. was 91 degrees around 4:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon).<\/p>\n Forecasters also warned a \u201cbrief tornado\u201d could spawn east of I-95, but the region faces no official tornado or severe thunderstorm watches as of Sunday afternoon.<\/p>\n BIG NUMBER<\/p>\n 70%. That\u2019s the chance of rain in Washington at 8 p.m., according to Capital Weather<\/a>, with high humidity making the forecasted temperatures of the mid-80s at the time feel more like 90.<\/p>\n Will There Be Bugs?<\/p>\n \u201cThe three big problems, as far as I am seeing right now, are rain, lightning and a ton of bugs,\u201d UFC CEO Dana White told the Hollywood Reporter<\/a> in a profile earlier this month. White told the entertainment publication he previously attended a Rose Garden dinner in May where \u201cclusters\u201d of black gnats attacked guests. Speaking to the Boardroom<\/a> podcast in May, White said he spoke to his head of production about the problem immediately after the dinner. \u201cWhen you\u2019re a fighter, think about that lighting grid,\u201d White said. \u201cThe amount of power in the lights, moths, gnats, and god knows what else.\u201d Later, he admitted dealing with issues like insects is \u201cwhy I don\u2019t like fighting outside, ever.\u201d An entomologist who spoke to Axios<\/a> said he expected a \u201c100%\u201d chance of bugs on Sunday night, including mosquitos, mayflies, moths and even possibly biting black flies.<\/p>\n Will The Fight Be Delayed?<\/p>\n Even with the potential for thunderstorms, it\u2019s unlikely the White House or UFC is planning to reschedule the event. \u201cI don\u2019t care if it snows, rains, we\u2019re going,\u201d White told the Associated Press last week. \u201cEven lightning. You guys all played sports when you were growing up. Whenever there was lightning, you\u2019d sit the lightning out. When it was over, you played. That\u2019s what we\u2019ll do.\u201d The White House did not immediately return a request for comment from Forbes, but blasted the Weather Channel for warning of a \u201cchaotic weather setup,\u201d saying<\/a> the event would go on \u201crain or shine.\u201d<\/p>\n Key Background<\/p>\n White, who has run the UFC since 2001, is a prominent Trump supporter, and has spoken at multiple rallies and events for the president. At the 2016 Republican National Convention<\/a>, White cast Trump<\/a> as a crucial ally for the sport in its early days. \u201cIn 2001 my partners and I bought the UFC and it was basically considered a blood sport. State athletic commissions didn\u2019t support us, arenas around the world refused to host our events. Nobody took us seriously, nobody except Donald Trump.\u201d White has remained a close ally to the president, and the Trump administration began planning<\/a> a UFC bout on the White House lawn last year during his first year back in office. The National Park Service is reportedly using about $67 million in funds from national park entrance fees to pay for the event, the New York Times<\/a> reported last month citing court filings.<\/p>\n