Capital Weather Gang from The Washington Post

Daily forecast for the Washington area

D.C.-area forecast: Morning warmth booted by showers and a cold front; coat weather this weekend

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

7/10: Warm early, turning tumultuous. Breezes and showers as a strong front moves by. Windy and cooler late.

EXPRESS FORECAST

Today: Showers, maybe thunder. Breezy. Highs: Upper 60s to mid-70s.
Tonight: Showers risk wanes, wind remains. Lows: Mid-40s to around 50.
Tomorrow: Mix of clouds and sun. Windy. Highs: Mid-50s to around 60.
Sunday: Sunnier and calmer. Highs: Low-to-mid 60s.

FORECAST IN DETAIL

Ready the seasonal closet switch, as a cold front scours out our (last until spring?) stretch of warm weather. Brace for high temperatures perhaps 30 degrees cooler than recent. Wind chills, too. That late fall feeling arrives a bit early!

Today (Friday): As a strong cold front aims to break our summer-like warmth, at least occasional showers are probable for much of the day. That threat focuses from west to east from about midday through mid-to-late afternoon.We may even hear a rumble of thunder and have 15 mph and gusty southerly winds switch to the northwesterly direction midday into the afternoon. Unfortunately for gardeners, this probably won’t be a soaking in most spots, but we’ll take what we can get. Temperatures hover in the upper 60s to mid-70s as highs of the day, but drop noticeably after sunset. Confidence: Medium

Tonight: Showers possibly (50/50 chance) linger into evening, but if so they become lighter and even more widely scattered. Colder, drier air continues to blow across the area on northwest winds gusting near and past 30 mph through the night. Low temperatures range from the mid-40s outside of the Beltway to around 50 downtown. Bundle up a bit, though, since wind chill may feel 10 degrees cooler. Confidence: Medium-High

For related traffic news, check out Dr. Gridlock. Keep reading for the forecast into next week.

Tomorrow (Saturday): Below-average temperatures (been a while!) take hold, so as to make it feel more like late fall. Brisk northwest winds could gust past 35 mph, with sustained levels near 20 mph. Clouds may keep popping up given very cold air aloft, and we can’t rule out a stray and brief shower. High temperatures should stay subdued in the mid-50s to around 60 degrees. Confidence: Medium

Tomorrow night: Finally, a bit of wind abatement, as westerly breezes calm to around 15 mph in the evening, perhaps even around 5 mph nearer dawn. Clear skies are awesome-looking, with many stars visible in such crisp, dry air. Just wear a light coat and maybe we also need to find that lip balm? Predawn low temperatures bottom out in the mid-30s (far suburbs) to mid-40s downtown. Yep, a wide range of low temperatures are expected! Confidence: Medium-High

Fall commutes on the Mall – Oct. 20. (chasingmailboxes via Flickr)

A LOOK AHEAD

Sunday: This one looks to live up to its name with plenty of blue sky. High temperatures may feel more comfortable but they could still struggle to reach the low-to-mid 60s. That’s about average for this time of year, though—we just have to acclimate! Breezes should stay in a tolerable range, too. Confidence: Medium

Sunday night: Clear and calm are most likely. That again encourages localized cool spots to develop, creating a wide range of temperatures for our region, overnight. Low temperatures may range from low 40s in the suburbs to low 50s downtown. Confidence: Medium

Sunny conditions may dominate Monday and into Tuesday along with some breezes, perhaps. High temperatures in the upper 50s to mid-60s look likely, but you may want a light coat during the morning commutes. Ever-shorter day length means less time during which the sun is able to warm us. It’s an autumnal air regime for sure! Stay tuned for small forecast tweaks as-needed, once we get closer to next week. Confidence: Low-Medium

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