Capital Weather Gang from The Washington Post

Daily forecast for the Washington area

D.C.-area forecast: Breezy and mild today; Winter cold sweeps in this weekend

An early blooming tree, March 8, 2017. (Erik Cox Photography via Flickr)

TODAY’S DAILY DIGIT
A somewhat subjective rating of the day’s weather, on a scale of 0 to 10.

9/10: If it weren’t so breezy rating today a ten would be easy, but wind blown pollen makes me sneezy and wheezy.

EXPRESS FORECAST

Today: Sunny, brisk winds. Highs: 67-72
Tonight: Increasing clouds, showers late. Lows: 43-47
Tomorrow: Morning showers, afternoon clearing and windy. Highs: 49-53

View the current weather conditions at The Washington Post headquarters.

FORECAST IN DETAIL

Today’s springtime warmth gets shoved out to sea Friday as a cold front again produces paltry rain amounts keeping the area’s drought stubbornly in place. Normally I would be telling you that the descent into wintry cold this week would be quickly gone. But this time, not so much. All of next week could be unseasonably cold and then there is that snow chance Monday night into Tuesday.

Today (Thursday): Sunshine dominates through the day and highs in the upper 60s to lower 70s add up to a pleasant combination. Winds from the west are likely to gust to 25 mph, whipping up dust, pollen, and the occasional flurry of tree blossoms. Confidence: High

Tonight: The evening starts off star-filled but clouds increase fairly quickly with rain showers developing towards morning. Westerly winds are fairly light. Lows only fall to the low-to-mid 40s. Confidence: High

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest updates. For related traffic news, check out Dr. Gridlock. Keep reading for the forecast through the weekend…

Tomorrow (Friday): Morning rain showers are likely to cross the area early on. Amounts better than a quarter of an inch will be rare but enough to warrant an umbrella. By midday winds build from the northwest gusting up to 35 mph. This dries the area out and breaks up the clouds as much colder air plows into the area. As a result, highs in the upper 40s to lower 50s are reached early in the day. Confidence: Medium-High

Tomorrow night: Winds remain brisk through the night and there is a chance for a few snowflakes. Accumulation potential is generally nil but if out driving look out for slick spots. Lows plummet to the low-to-mid 20s. Confidence: Medium-High

A LOOK AHEAD

Saturday is back to winter with mostly sunny skies doing no good as highs are stuck in the mid-to-upper 30s. At least winds die down quickly. The clear evening features a rising full moon but given the chill it may be better viewed from indoors! Overnight clear and very cold conditions result in lows in the mid-to-upper teens in the suburbs and only lower 20s in town. Confidence: Medium-High

Some early morning clouds are likely to quickly pull south on Sunday as a weak snow storm tracks far to our south mainly picking on North Carolina. Highs are only upper 30s to lower 40s. Another clear and cold night is on tap with lows ranging through the 20s. Confidence: Medium-High

Monday should start off sunny and then cloud up later in the day with highs in the low-to-mid 40s. A storm in the Midwest approaches but any snowflakes are unlikely to arrive until late that night. Confidence: Medium

Stay tuned for an update on the winter storm potential Monday night into Tuesday later this morning.

SNOW POTENTIAL INDEX
A daily assessment of the potential for at least 1 inch of snow in the next week, on a 0-10 scale.

3/10 (↑): Sunday chances have faded to nothingness but snow Monday night into Tuesday is still on the table.

Recommended for you

Going Out Guide

What to do and where to go in the Washington area, in your inbox twice a week.