Capital Weather Gang: D.C.-area forecast: Gradually warming this week, maybe a few showers for Christmas weekend

Tomorrow (Wednesday): There’s more sunshine on tap, and it’s more noticeably warm with highs getting close to the 50-degree mark by afternoon in many spots. Light winds persist. Confidence: High

Tomorrow night: Skies become partly cloudy, and then mostly cloudy. This helps us end up with warmer lows in the middle 20s to middle 30s. Light winds are mainly from the south. Confidence: High

A LOOK AHEAD

Thursday runs partly cloudy with a slight chance of a few passing showers, especially in the morning. Highs run warmer than normal in the upper 40s to around 50 range. Thursday night brings clearing skies, with lows in the mid-20s to lower 30s. Confidence: Medium-High

Friday may see temperatures fall back just a touch, with mid-to-upper 40s under mostly sunny skies. Friday night could see a few clouds around and most areas stay above freezing. Lows range across the 30s. Confidence: Medium-High

The Christmas holiday weekend offers warmer than normal temperatures (but not nearly as crazy warm as last year!) with highs near 50 on Saturday and into the middle 50s on Christmas Day. Saturday starts sunny, but then shifts toward partly cloudy into Christmas Eve with lows in the 30s to 40s along with a chance of scattered light showers that continue into Christmas Day as well. Partly sunny skies should prevail by Christmas afternoon, with just a few clouds around Christmas night (lows in the 40s). Our Monday holiday could see a few more showers, but highs may also make a run at the 60s! Confidence: Medium