Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Showers and Thunderstorms Threaten PM Commute
Dan Stillman @ 1:30 PM
** Severe Thunderstorm Watch in effect until 8 PM **
As high temperatures climb into the 80s today, a cold front threatens to bring showers and thunderstorms to the area this afternoon and evening. Behind the front, temperatures cool off tomorrow and Friday, but then warm again over the weekend.
Pictured: The Storm Prediction Center places our area within the slight risk for severe storms today.
Morning sun, afternoon/evening showers & t'storms. After a mostly sunny start, clouds will be on the increase by late morning or early afternoon as a cold front approaches from the west. Boosted by a strong breeze out of the southwest, temperatures should approach a high near 85 during the early afternoon. We should remain dry through lunchtime, but all bets are off after that. Showers and thunderstorms are a good possibility between 1pm and 8pm. Some storms could produce gusty winds over 30 mph. A few storms could be severe. Tonight, clearing and breezy with lows in the low-to-mid 50s.
Partly sunny, cooler. Behind the front, a cooler and drier air mass takes hold. Highs should reach the upper 60s to near 70 under partly sunny skies and low humidity. Overnight, partly cloudy with a chance of a shower and lows near 50 in town, mid-to-upper 40s in the burbs.
Difficult forecast. Friday's forecast is complicated by the uncertain path of an upper-air disturbance. If it tracks directly over us or just to the south, then we could be mostly cloudy for much of the day with some sprinkles or a few showers. Should it take a more southerly track, then we could see partly sunny skies with little or no chance of rain. There's also concern about how close clouds and showers from a storm system strengthening off the coast get to us. Either way, it's likely to be a windy day with highs only in the low-to-mid 60s. Overnight, partly to mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and lows near 50 in town, mid 40s in the burbs.
Partial clearing and eventual warming. On Saturday, clouds and some showers could linger early, then partial clearing as the day goes on with highs in the mid 60s to low 70s. Saturday night, partly cloudy with lows in the mid 50s in town, upper 40s to near 50 in the burbs. Sunday is looking partly sunny and warmer with highs in the mid 70s to near 80.
Let's face it. We usually have a pretty narrow window of time here in the DC area when temperatures are warm enough -- and humidity is low enough -- to make outdoor drinking and dining a comfortable experience. So when you do get the chance to go al fresco, you might as well make the best of it. Fritz Hahn, bars and clubs editor for washingtonpost.com, has compiled a list of his favorite spots for outdoor happy hour.
Pictured: Diners enjoy the outdoors in Reston on Monday, by CapitalWeather.com photographer Kevin Ambrose.
Weather Underground has a very cool new feature: You can view a 24-hour animated loop for any National Weather Service radar location in the country going back to April of last year. Go to the site's NEXRAD Radar page, click on a radar station, then scroll down to "Radar Archive" below the current radar loop. Give it a test run by choosing the Dodge City radar (southwest corner of Kansas) and viewing the loop for May 4 of this year -- the day of the devastating tornado that destroyed the Kansas town of Greensburg.
Screenshot from Weather Underground.
As high temperatures climb into the 80s today, a cold front threatens to bring showers and thunderstorms to the area this afternoon and evening. Behind the front, temperatures cool off tomorrow and Friday, but then warm again over the weekend.Pictured: The Storm Prediction Center places our area within the slight risk for severe storms today.
Today
Morning sun, afternoon/evening showers & t'storms. After a mostly sunny start, clouds will be on the increase by late morning or early afternoon as a cold front approaches from the west. Boosted by a strong breeze out of the southwest, temperatures should approach a high near 85 during the early afternoon. We should remain dry through lunchtime, but all bets are off after that. Showers and thunderstorms are a good possibility between 1pm and 8pm. Some storms could produce gusty winds over 30 mph. A few storms could be severe. Tonight, clearing and breezy with lows in the low-to-mid 50s.Tomorrow
Partly sunny, cooler. Behind the front, a cooler and drier air mass takes hold. Highs should reach the upper 60s to near 70 under partly sunny skies and low humidity. Overnight, partly cloudy with a chance of a shower and lows near 50 in town, mid-to-upper 40s in the burbs.Difficult forecast. Friday's forecast is complicated by the uncertain path of an upper-air disturbance. If it tracks directly over us or just to the south, then we could be mostly cloudy for much of the day with some sprinkles or a few showers. Should it take a more southerly track, then we could see partly sunny skies with little or no chance of rain. There's also concern about how close clouds and showers from a storm system strengthening off the coast get to us. Either way, it's likely to be a windy day with highs only in the low-to-mid 60s. Overnight, partly to mostly cloudy with a chance of showers and lows near 50 in town, mid 40s in the burbs.The Weekend
Partial clearing and eventual warming. On Saturday, clouds and some showers could linger early, then partial clearing as the day goes on with highs in the mid 60s to low 70s. Saturday night, partly cloudy with lows in the mid 50s in town, upper 40s to near 50 in the burbs. Sunday is looking partly sunny and warmer with highs in the mid 70s to near 80.Headin' Outside for Happy Hour
Let's face it. We usually have a pretty narrow window of time here in the DC area when temperatures are warm enough -- and humidity is low enough -- to make outdoor drinking and dining a comfortable experience. So when you do get the chance to go al fresco, you might as well make the best of it. Fritz Hahn, bars and clubs editor for washingtonpost.com, has compiled a list of his favorite spots for outdoor happy hour.Pictured: Diners enjoy the outdoors in Reston on Monday, by CapitalWeather.com photographer Kevin Ambrose.
Neat Radar Loop Archive
Weather Underground has a very cool new feature: You can view a 24-hour animated loop for any National Weather Service radar location in the country going back to April of last year. Go to the site's NEXRAD Radar page, click on a radar station, then scroll down to "Radar Archive" below the current radar loop. Give it a test run by choosing the Dodge City radar (southwest corner of Kansas) and viewing the loop for May 4 of this year -- the day of the devastating tornado that destroyed the Kansas town of Greensburg.Screenshot from Weather Underground.
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