The upcoming week will begin like summer and end like winter. Will the real spring please stand up?
Today
Breezy, quite warm. Very warm air will stream in from the west and southwest in the wake of a warm front that passed through the region Sunday night. Expect a mix of clouds and sun along with a steady westerly breeze -- with highs near 80. Overnight, it will be mostly clear and mild, with lows 50-55 (suburbs-city).
The Upcoming Week at a GlanceWarmest Day:Tuesday, High 82.
Coldest Day: Saturday, High 45.
Precip Chances: Wednesday
Dry Days: All but Wednesday.
The Week's Wild Cards: How warm will it get Monday and Tuesday? Will there be any strong thunderstorms Wednesday? How cold will it get late in the week?
Climatological Average High/Low: 62-64/42-44
Pictured: Cherry blossoms blooming around the Washington Monument Saturday. By CapitalWeather.com photographer Ian Livingston.
Tuesday
Partly sunny, very warm. Expect another summery day as southwesterly flow ahead of a strong cold front pumps up warm air over the region. High temperatures should reach the low 80s under partly sunny skies. Overnight it will be partly to mostly cloudy as the cold front approaches, with lows in the mid 50s.
Wednesday
Showers possible, turning cooler late. A strong cold front will move through the region during the first half of the day, triggering showers and even a thunderstorm or two (especially to the east). Before the cold front moves through, it will be mild, with highs reaching the mid to upper 60s. But temperatures should cool into the 50s during the afternoon. Overnight, it will become clear, breezy and cold, with lows 35-40 (suburbs-city).
Pictured: Skies were mostly cloudy for Cherry Blossom viewing along the Tidal Basin Saturday afternoon. By CapitalWeather.com photographer Ian Livingston.Thursday
Partly sunny, breezy and cooler. This day will definitely have a March-like feel with the combination of a stiff northwesterly breeze and temperatures only reaching the low to mid 50s. Overnight, it will be mostly clear and cold, with lows near freezing downtown and into the mid and upper 20s in the suburbs.
Friday
Quite cool. A second shot of even colder air is likely to arrive during the afternoon. High temperatures will struggle to reach 50 with a mix of clouds and sun. Overnight, a hard freeze may well affect much of the area -- with lows near 20 in the colder suburbs and the high 20s downtown.
The Weekend
Cold! A winter-like airmass is quite likely to grip the region for the weekend -- with highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s. Don't put away the winter clothes just yet...