top border

Please note, not all links may be active. This site is a snapshot of an earlier time.

Unsettled Through the End of the Week
Worrisome Weekend Weather Woes?

Josh Larson @ 1:30 AM

We'll look for cloudy, rainy and much cooler conditions today compared to yesterday's balmy highs at or above 60 degrees in many spots. Friday will present us with a brief spike of milder temperatures, then all eyes turn to a colder weekend and an approaching major storm system which may bring rain, snow, or a mixed bag of precipitation to the area.

Today


Confidence: HighRainy & much cooler. Today will be downright raw with thick overcast skies and morning showers -- perhaps (<25% chance) starting as a little brief sleet or freezing rain in the far NW suburbs -- giving way to chilly highs in the low 40s. Periodic light, to occasionally, moderate rain will continue through the balance of the day. Partial clearing and cool tonight with overnight lows from 35-40.

Friday


Confidence: High-Very HighClearing and milder. A much nicer day is on tap for Friday with skies becoming mostly sunny and more comfortable afternoon highs reaching the low to mid 50s in most spots. Partly to mostly cloudy and cool Friday night with lows from the upper 20s across the 'burbs to near 35 downtown.

The Weekend


Confidence: High-Very HighStorm system to affect us. Expect mostly cloudy skies on Saturday with some form of precipitation developing within a few hours of noon. The further north and west one goes from DC, the more likely this precipitation will start in the frozen variety. Rain, snow or a wintry mix will continue through the rest of the day Saturday, with highs likely in the low to mid 30s. Windy with moderate to heavy precipitation -- rain, the favored precipitation type -- Saturday night with temperatures steady or slowly rising to near 40.

Windy and messy Sunday morning with the aforementioned range of possible precipitation types with temperatures primarily in the 30s. Most models indicate any precipitation should taper off before noon. Remaining windy and cold for the remainder of Sunday with a stray snow shower possible and temperatures dropping from the mid 30s to upper 20s.

Snow Lover's Crystal Ball

Next Chance of Accumulating Snow:
Saturday Dec. 15 - Sunday Dec. 16.
Probability: 40%
Potential Impact:
Commentary: We're still on track for a rather powerful area of low pressure to approach us from the southwest during the first half of the day Saturday and then transfer its energy to a secondary coastal low later in the day. Some form of precipitation will likely develop by early afternoon Saturday and continue, with increasingly windy conditions, through early Sunday. Since the storm track and extent of cold air to our north are still in question, we still can't quite pin down precipitation type. However, it's looking more likely that rain will be a significant player for DC and points south and east. The further north and west one goes from DC, the greater chance of frozen precipitation, with some accumulation possible -- but far from a done deal.

A Look Ahead

  • Regardless of what type of precipitation -- and how much -- falls during the weekend, we'll look for windy and cold conditions late Sunday through Tuesday thanks to a sharp difference in pressure between the departing coastal low and high pressure to the west.
  • Early indications suggest a continuation of below-normal temperatures through much of the remainder of the work week.

Comments are closed for this archived entry | Link | email post Email this post