Capital Weather Gang: May 4, 2008 - May 10, 2008

Alert: Flood Watch for Sunday Night

The Watch is in effect from Sunday night to Monday afternoon. From the National Weather Service: THE HEAVIEST RAIN WILL OCCUR SUNDAY NIGHT ... AND END FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST MONDAY AFTERNOON. TWO TO THREE INCHES OF RAIN WILL FALL ON TOP OF WET SOIL....

By Jason Samenow  | May 10, 2008; 9:43 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (6)
Categories:  Alerts, Floods  
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Photography: A Fine Day for Fishing

Tuesday was a beautiful day for sailing and fishing on the Chesapeake Bay. The weather Tuesday on the Chesapeake Bay was beautiful. The temperature is usually much cooler on the open water of the bay during the spring because the bay's water temperature is still quite cool this time of...

By Kevin Ambrose  | May 10, 2008; 3:00 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (0)
Categories:  Photography  
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Forecast: Rain to Break Briefly

More heavy rain late Sunday The window for nice weather this weekend keeps getting narrower. Gloomy and damp conditions may not let go until mid afternoon today. At that time, mercifully, we should begin a 24-hour period with no rain. But late tomorrow afternoon, another round of rain returns that...

By Jason Samenow  | May 10, 2008; 5:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (15)
Categories:  Forecasts  
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NatCast: Dry but Chilly

Nationals vs. Marlins
Tonight, 7:10 p.m., Nationals Park

First Pitch	9th Inning	Weather	Chance of Rain
57F	55F	Partly Cloudy	10%

Clearing should be well underway if not complete by game time, so there are no real rain worries. Temperatures will be kind of cool though, so wear an extra layer.

By Jason Samenow  | May 10, 2008; 5:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (0)
Categories:  NatCast  
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Warming North Pole, More Complex South

A team of 30 scientists reports on the contrasting climate shifts that are taking place in the Arctic and Antarctic. While the Arctic is clearly warming, one manmade environmental crisis -- ozone destruction -- is having more sway in Antarctica. But what happens when the ozone hole heals?...

By Andrew Freedman  | May 9, 2008; 7:00 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (4)
Categories:  Climate Change  
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CommuteCast: Rain Temporarily Pauses

Risk of showers overnight into early Saturday **Report: Tornado Confirmed in Stafford County Last Night** Light -- and occasionally moderate to heavy -- rain continued across the area through early afternoon and has now departed, leaving spotty drizzle in its wake. Daily rainfall records have been set at all three...

By Ian Livingston  | May 9, 2008; 3:10 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (3)
Categories:  Forecasts  
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Region Battered by Heavy Rains, Wind, Tornado?

*Damage, Flooding Reported After Storms* Trees down. Lights and power off. Numerous reports of flooding, wind damage and road closures. Over 2.5 inches at Reagan National Airport since last night. Oh, and there's that issue of a possible tornado in Stafford County. Just your average night in the D.C. metro...

By Jamie Jones  | May 9, 2008; 10:30 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (7)
Categories:  Recaps, Reports, Thunderstorms  
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NatCast: Cloudy + Slight Shower Chance

Nationals vs. Marlins
Tonight, 7:35 p.m., Nationals Park

First Pitch	9th Inning	Weather	Chance of Rain
57F	55F	Cool, cloudy, Shower?	25%

It will be cool, cloudy too -- with slowly dropping temperatures, and a small chance of a shower.

By Camden Walker  | May 9, 2008; 5:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (6)
Categories:  NatCast  
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Forecast: Rain Subsides Saturday into Sunday

*Damage, Flooding Reported After Storms* We'll begin & end the next three days with some rain. But enjoy the latter part of Saturday and early Sunday when sun chances outshine the rain chances. Let's just not talk about the washout that appears to greet us as we start a new...

By Camden Walker  | May 9, 2008; 5:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (23)
Categories:  Forecasts  
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CommuteCast: Flooding Rains Possible Overnight

**Flash Flood Warning till 4:15 a.m in D.C., Arlington, Alexandria** **Flood Watch from 9 p.m. tonight through Friday morning** **Tornado Watch southwest of area till 1 a.m.** **Tornado Watch south and southeast of area till 3 a.m.** Severe Weather Tracking StationWarning Text: DC | MD | VARadar: Latest D.C. area...

By Ian Livingston  | May 8, 2008; 3:25 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (46)
Categories:  Forecasts  
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In Defense of Meteorologists: Part 2

By Steve Tracton In my post last week, I commented upon the misleading (and a few flat-out wrong) statements about weather forecasting that appeared in a post on the New York Times Freakonomics blog. These statements were made as part of a study by a father and his fifth-grade daughter...

By Steve Tracton  | May 8, 2008; 11:15 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (0)
Categories:  Science, Tracton  
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UnitedCast: Cloudy With Thundershowers Possible

United vs. Chicago Fire
Tonight, 7:30 p.m., RFK Stadium

Kickoff	Final Whistle	Weather	Chance of Rain
71F	66F	Cloudy & Possibly Wet	50%+

It's hard to say whether a solid area of approaching rain and possibly thunderstorms will arrive during the game, or if it will hold off until later on at night. At the very least, there's a 50% chance of a scattered shower or thunderstorm passing over the stadium.

By Josh Larson  | May 8, 2008; 5:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (0)
Categories:  UnitedCast  
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Forecast: Heavy Rain Tonight Into Tomorrow

Saturday forecast uncertain; more rain by late Sunday A low-pressure area and associated cold front will provide plenty of clouds and sometimes rainy conditions over the next 48 hours -- when up to 2" of rain may fall -- with the bulk of the precipitation falling overnight tonight into tomorrow...

By Josh Larson  | May 8, 2008; 5:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (0)
Categories:  Forecasts  
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Weather Channel Price Drop

Buying the Weather Channel may not demand $5 billion, but a mere $3.5-4 according to Saturday's Virginia Pilot. Second-round bids for the network are due tomorrow, and NBC and CBS will likely make offers according to Reuters. In completely unrelated and highly salacious Weather Channel news, there's this: Weather Channel...

By Jason Samenow  | May 7, 2008; 7:00 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (1)
Categories:  Media  
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CommuteCast: A Taste of Mid-June

Unsettled and continued mild Thursday Current D.C. area temperatures, courtesy Weather Bonk. Map by Google. Refresh page to update. Hover over and click temperatures for more info. Click and hold on map to pan. Low 80s for high temperatures today are about 10 degrees above average and more typical of...

By Ian Livingston  | May 7, 2008; 3:15 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (3)
Categories:  Forecasts  
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Inside the Burma Cyclone

Satellite image of Tropical Cyclone Nargis prior to landfall in Myanmar (Burma). Courtesy NOAA As the number of dead and missing continue mounting in Burma, it's natural to wonder what kind of storm inflicted this horrible toll. The answer is simple: A hurricane, but by another name. "Tropical Cyclone" Nargis,...

By Jason Samenow  | May 7, 2008; 9:24 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (0)
Categories:  International Weather, Tropical Weather  
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Forecast: Sunny Stretch Slips Away

Mostly sunny today; then increasing clouds, rain chances The next two days are prime examples of the difference dewpoint -- a measure of how much moisture is in the air -- can make this time of year. Today's highs in the low 80s will feel quite comfortable thanks to dewpoints...

By Dan Stillman  | May 7, 2008; 5:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (5)
Categories:  Forecasts  
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Report: Earthquake in Annandale

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has confirmed a small earthquake (or microquake) measuring 1.8 on the Richter scale occurred in Annandale, Va. at 1:30 p.m. Weak to light shaking from the quake could be felt throughout eastern Northern Virginia (mainly Fairfax County) and small parts of the District and Maryland:...

By Capital Weather Gang  | May 6, 2008; 3:43 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (0)
Categories:  Reports  
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CommuteCast: Wonderfully Warm

Temperatures well above average on Wednesday This has shaped up to be another in a string of great springtime days across the region with highs now reaching the upper 70s in most locations. Partly cloudy skies will continue for the rest of the afternoon before clearing begins with the loss...

By Ian Livingston  | May 6, 2008; 3:15 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (0)
Categories:  Forecasts  
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Comment of the Week: Suffolk Tornado Report

Damage from the Suffolk, Va. tornado. By Capital Weather Gang visitor Dulles ARC Long time Capital Weather Gang reader Dulles ARC, a Rapid Response Team lead for the American Red Cross, described his experience at the scene of last Monday's EF-3 tornado in Suffolk, Va.: I ... was in the...

By Jason Samenow  | May 6, 2008; 11:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (10)
Categories:  Capital Weather Gang  
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Forecast: Sneezy Sunny Seventies

Beware of the film fest By Matt Rogers, Guest Forecaster What film fest, you ask? The pollen extravaganza is back in full fury with the lack of rainfall (in most areas) over the weekend and very dry humidity persisting here today. Expect more pollen film coverage over everything along with...

By Matt Rogers  | May 6, 2008; 5:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (11)
Categories:  Forecasts  
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The Long Road to Recovery

One year later: Greensburg, Kansas Starting now: Myanmar (Burma)...

By Jason Samenow  | May 5, 2008; 7:00 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (1)
Categories:  International Weather, U.S. Weather  
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CommuteCast: Superb Spring Conditions Continue

More gorgeous weather Tuesday Webcam: Latest view of D.C. from the Netherlands Carillon at Arlington National Cemetery. Courtesy National Park Service. A beautiful day has unfolded across the area as temperatures have risen to very near seasonal averages in the low 70s. Expect variably cloudy skies to last through the...

By Ian Livingston  | May 5, 2008; 3:15 PM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (3)
Categories:  Forecasts  
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Freedman: Global Warming Has Not Been Canceled

Many stories were written last week about a study in the scientific journal Nature [subscription required] showing that, during the next few years, naturally shifting ocean currents may offset some of the greenhouse gas-induced warming trend for parts of North America and Europe. The trouble with the study was that...

By Andrew Freedman  | May 5, 2008; 11:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (10)
Categories:  Climate Change, Freedman  
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Forecast: Sunny Day Trifecta

Over the next three days, we continue the unbelievable stretch of spring time weather that began last Friday. These days will feature an abundance of sunshine with afternoon high temperatures warming through the 70s. For much of the week, it will be dry except Thursday night into Friday and...

By Jason Samenow  | May 5, 2008; 5:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (0)
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Forecast: Sunny Side Up

By Brian Jackson, Guest Forecaster It gets brighter and brighter today as a cold front that passed through the region overnight exits off the coast. Today's weather will start off gray, especially for the early risers, with a slight chance for a lingering shower near the bay, but it will...

By Brian Jackson  | May 4, 2008; 5:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (14)
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NatCast: Refreshing Sunshine

Nationals vs. Pirates
Today, 1:35 p.m., Nationals Park

First Pitch	9th Inning	Weather	Chance of Rain
73F	74F	Mostly sunny	5%

Like yesterday, it will be bright and sunny. However, temperatures will be about 5-8 degrees cooler and you'll notice a cool, but pleasant northwest breeze.

By Jason Samenow  | May 4, 2008; 5:00 AM ET  |  Permalink  |  Comments (0)
Categories:  NatCast  
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