Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Temperatures were well above freezing today and more pleasant for those walking outside. The sun has melted most of the snow and perhaps spring is in our reach. Milder temperatures are in the forecast for the weekend, but not without a chance of precipitation.
Through tonight:
Unless you’ve got the luck of the Irish you may want to bring an umbrella when heading out tonight. There is a 60% chance of showers between 11pm and 2am. The temperature will drop to about 40 degrees by 9pm, and the minimum temperature will remain in the upper 30s. The winds will remain calm, at 5-8 mph from the south.
TerpWRF showing 3-hour Quantitative Precipitation Forecast valid at 6Z, indicating a real possibility for 0.1-0.2 inches of rain in DC region between 11pm-2am (via Trowal)
Tomorrow (Saturday):
The high temperature today is in the lower 50s – close to the average temperature expected for mid-March. There will be mostly cloudy skies and a 40% of rain between 2-6pm, so take that into account when planning afternoon outdoor activities. The winds are calm (5-7 mph) and southerly before 2pm, but as a cold front passes they will become northerly and pick up to 10-13 mph by 5pm. Temperatures will also begin to drop as front passes during the day. There is a 30% chance of rain switching to snow in the evening and the minimum temperature overnight is in mid- to upper-30s.
12-hour Quantitative Precipitation Forecast for 8am Saturday into 8am Sunday, showing DC region in the 0.1-inch range (via Weather Prediction Center)
Sunday:
There is a 30% of flurries for early Sunday morning. The rest of the day will be mostly sunny and reach a maximum temperature of 50 degrees. Winds 9-14 mph from the north and gusts up to 20+ mph. Becomes partly cloudy by nighttime and a minimum temperature in the mid-30s.