6:25 a.m. – Winter weather forecast extended east to areas west of I-95 to provide brief winter mix
Overnight, the National Weather Service expanded its winter weather forecast to areas west of Interstate 95, including Fairfax, Montgomery, Howard, northern Fauquier, eastern Loudoun and Prince William counties .Valid until 8am
As the precipitation moves this morning, there may be some cold weather (sleet and freezing rain) in these areas briefly, which could lead to some slippery places. Temperatures were mostly above freezing in the region, but some cooler areas in Howard, northern Montgomery, eastern Loudoun, northern Fauquier County and western Prince William County were in the mid-32s. See map below.
In places where the temperature is 32 or lower, be careful when going outside, especially in the next few hours. Surfaces that appear wet may be icy. After 8am, temperatures should rise above freezing in most areas with only rain.
The main trouble areas will be primarily along and west of Highway 15, especially Interstate 81 this morning until about 10:00 a.m. Mixed precipitation will result in a more widespread slippery surface.
A subjective rating of the day’s weather, on a scale of 0 to 10.
3/10: A row of rain, snow lovers pain.
- Nowadays: Rain, occasionally heavy. Highs: 44-48
- tonight: It was raining and the wind was blowing. Lows: 40-46
- tomorrow: The temperature dropped rapidly to more than 20 degrees. Early rain and snow showers. windy.
Rapidly changing weather is the norm for the next 48 hours or so. Today’s downpours turned into plunging temperatures on Friday morning, accompanied by strong winds and some snow. That’s when the arctic front arrives and temperatures drop 20 degrees in an hour or two, potentially causing some slick spots on regional roads. The cold really took hold by Friday night, when the wind chill plummeted to near zero. Sunny but cold Christmas weekend.
Today is thursday): As the morning wears on, the morning sporadic light rain becomes steady with occasional downpours. Our cooler regions (typically along and west of Highway 15 from Warrenton to Frederick) may start the day with a cold mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain, but after a few snow packs It should turn to normal rain by mid-morning. Rainfall totals of 1 to 2 inches are common, triggering a flood watch. Highs slowly climbed into the mid to upper 40s, but only approached 40 degrees in our cooler west and were in the high 50s to 55 degrees in southern Maryland.Confidence: high
tonight: Rainfall should taper off at night with only showers. The southerly winds, strengthening with gusts of 20 mph, could briefly push temperatures into the 50s. The showers became more patchy during the night. Lows drop to around 40 degrees as the cold front moves toward dawn.Confidence: Moderate
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Tomorrow (Friday): An arctic front should move into the region in the morning. Along the front, there may be a strong shower that may turn rain into snowflakes in a short period of time. Buildup is unlikely as westerly winds blow in gusts of 40 mph, bringing drier air and clear skies. Expect temperatures to drop from 40C to 20C in an hour or two, so watch out for icy areas.Confidence: Medium-High
Tomorrow night: Strong westerly winds are likely to persist overnight under mostly clear skies. Lows fell into the upper single digits in our cooler regions to downtown. The wind chill dropped to near zero or a little bit lower. Pack!Confidence: Medium-High
Saturday Still easy as the highs only went up into the teens and twenties. It could be cold enough to set records, including flirting with the coldest temperature on record at 23 degrees. The skies will be clear for most of Christmas Eve and at dusk there will be a beautiful view of the crescent moon and the planet Venus on the western horizon. Overnight lows should drop into the low teens.Confidence: Medium-High
Christmas (Sunday) Still very cold, but a little higher at the top, in the upper mid-20s. Clear skies and mild winds are a plus. If you have to go out, get dressed. Nighttime lows are in the teens.Confidence: Moderate
Clear skies and light breeze most of the time on Monday Still deceptive, as the highs are unlikely to perform better than the lows in the 30s.Confidence: Moderate
Daily assessment of the chance of at least 1 inch of snow next week on a scale of 0-10.
1/10 (→): Snow showers are likely on Friday morning, but may be too short for significant accumulations.