Capital Weather Gang - DC area weather blog, news - September 14, 2008

Time For a New Hurricane Rating System?

An experimental storm surge forecast for Hurricane Ike, showing the percent chance that storm surge will be greater than 10 feet. Produced by the National Hurricane Center on Sept. 12. Nothing strikes fear into people along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts quite like the words "Category Five." Yet, two of...

By Dan Stillman | September 20, 2008; 12:00 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (15)
Categories: Tropical Weather
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Forecast: No End to Nice Weather Near

Our amazing stretch of dry, pleasant weather continues today, tomorrow and well into next week. It's all thanks to a persistent area of high pressure to the north which is feeding refreshing Canadian air southward and blocking storminess. This weather pattern isn't changing any time soon, which is wonderful...

By Jason Samenow | September 20, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Forecasts
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NatCast: Another Ideal September Evening

Nationals vs. PadresTonight, 7:10 p.m., Nationals Park First Pitch9th InningWeatherChance of Rain69F63FMostly Clear0% What a night to enjoy Nationals Park and refreshing air. Consider a light jacket if you tend to easily get cold. NatCast appears on the day of every Nationals home game. Also, see our full...

By Jason Samenow | September 20, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NatCast
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PM Update: Delightful Conclusion to Work Week

Mostly sunny, a little warmer Saturday Current D.C. area temperatures, courtesy Weather Bonk. Map by Google. Hover over and click icons for more info. Click and hold on map to pan. Refresh page to update. See this map bigger on our Weather Wall. Clouds and sun mixed with pleasantly cool...

By Ian Livingston | September 19, 2008; 3:30 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Forecasts
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Photography: Sun Dog Extreme

A very bright and colorful sun dog that is visible to the left of the sun. This photo was taken at 6:01 p.m. Wednesday in Fairfax, Va. On Wednesday evening, I observed one of the best and most vivid examples of a sun dog that I've seen in recent memory....

By Kevin Ambrose | September 19, 2008; 1:00 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Photography
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Pirate Forecast: Ahoy!

Wx and the City Ahoy me hearties! Today be International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Yer for'cast for t'day is partly-cloudy with a chance of rum...Blimey! I mean, today's weather will be more o' t' same: a lot o' sun, pleasant temps, more than a few clouds, and a light...

By Ann Posegate | September 19, 2008; 10:30 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Humor, Posegate, Wx and the City
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Forecast: Amazing Autumnal Weather

Everyone has a different definition of perfect weather. But surely our current pattern must satisfy the criteria of many. Afternoon highs over the next several days will range from the low 70s to near 80. Morning lows will be cool, sometimes crisp. Enjoy the partly to mostly sunny skies. And...

By Camden Walker | September 19, 2008; 9:30 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Forecasts
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NatCast: Perfect Pitching Weather

Nationals vs. PadresTonight, 7:35 p.m., Nationals Park First Pitch9th InningWeatherChance of Rain70F63FMostly Clear, Cool0% There aren't but so many ways to say PERFECT weather. So I just said it. Attend this one, if weather is any motivation. NatCast appears on the day of every Nationals home game. Also,...

By Camden Walker | September 19, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NatCast
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PM Update: Cool Air Reinforcements Arrive

Mostly sunny, below-average temperatures on Friday Webcam: Latest view of D.C. from the Netherlands Carillon at Arlington National Cemetery. Courtesy National Park Service. Refresh page to update. See our Weather Wall for a larger version of this image. Plenty of late-summer sunshine has led to fairly warm temperatures running a...

By Ian Livingston | September 18, 2008; 3:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Forecasts
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Remembering Hurricane Isabel, Five Years Later

September 19, 2003: After Hurricane Isabel, a man in a canoe paddles through Old Town Alexandria, Va. By Mark Young/The Journal Newspapers. How do you spell RELIEF? -- all is quiet on the tropical front. For the first time in weeks there are no hurricanes, tropical storms or depressions in...

By Steve Tracton | September 18, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Tracton, Tropical Weather
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Forecast: Sunshine as Far as the Eye can See

If you're a fair weather friend then the weather over the coming days will simply delight you. A sprawling area of high pressure overhead will keep clouds and rain out of the forecast. It will also lead to mostly sunny days and mostly clear nights with low humidity and temperatures...

By Josh Larson | September 18, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Forecasts
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NatCast: More Delightful Baseball Weather

Nationals vs. MetsTonight, 7:10 p.m., Nationals Park First Pitch9th InningWeatherChance of Rain73F67FClear0%Once again, enjoy clear skies and comfortable temperatures at Nationals Park. NatCast appears on the day of every Nationals home game. Also, see our full forecast through the weekend....

By Jason Samenow | September 18, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NatCast
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Incredible Ike Imagery

Storm surge over Galveston Island, Texas. AP Photo/David J. Phillip After posting an amazing compilation of hurricane satellite images from space, the Boston Globe's Big Picture blog published another must-see series of some of the most remarkable post-Ike pictures. Want to see more Ike imagery? Here are some additional galleries...

By Jason Samenow | September 17, 2008; 6:45 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Photography, Tropical Weather
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PM Update: Pleasantly Cool Conditions Persist

Thursday promises more nice weather Current D.C. area temperatures, courtesy Weather Bonk. Map by Google. Hover over and click icons for more info. Click and hold on map to pan. Refresh page to update. See this map bigger on our Weather Wall. This morning's low temperature of 61 degrees at...

By Ian Livingston | September 17, 2008; 3:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Forecasts
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Wind Turbines and More at U.S. Botanic Garden

Wx and the City A vertical axis wind turbine that can power one-third of the annual electricity for a family of four. Courtesy U.S. Botanic Garden If you haven't had the chance yet, there's still time to check out some very cool weather-related features at the "One Planet - Ours!"...

By Ann Posegate | September 17, 2008; 12:45 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Environment, Posegate, Technology, Wx and the City
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Welcome to the Weather Gang Weather Wall

Access CWG's new Weather Wall using the link on our left sidebar, inside the Current Conditions box. Welcome to CWG's new Weather Wall! ... the ultimate overview of current conditions in D.C., Maryland and Virginia. This is your place to track radar, temperatures, clouds, and the latest webcam view of...

By Capital Weather Gang | September 17, 2008; 10:30 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Capital Weather Gang
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Forecast: Summer Slowly Slips Away

Weather pattern locks into mild days, cool nights, no rain Was Sunday's scorcher the last gasp of summer 2008? More and more the answer is looking like a yes, as highs aren't likely to make it much past 80 in the foreseeable future. Some will miss that summer feelin', many...

By Dan Stillman | September 17, 2008; 9:45 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Forecasts
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NatCast: Beautiful Baseball-Watching Weather

Nationals vs. MetsTonight, 7:10 p.m., Nationals Park First Pitch9th InningWeatherChance of Rain75F69FMostly Clear0%This kind of weather is hard to beat. As evening temperatures cool, a light jacket should do the trick. NatCast appears on the day of every Nationals home game. Also, see our full forecast through the...

By Dan Stillman | September 17, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: NatCast
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PM Update: Clouds Break, Cool Readings Remain

Partly sunny and pleasantly cool Tuesday Webcam: Latest view of D.C. from the Netherlands Carillon at Arlington National Cemetery. Courtesy National Park Service. Refresh page to update. Fairly thick morning clouds are giving way to breaks of sunshine this afternoon and the clouds that remain are largely high up in...

By Ian Livingston | September 16, 2008; 3:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Forecasts
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Stormy Science: Hurricanes and Climate Change

The recent string of tropical cyclones that have struck the United States has showcased the nation's vulnerability to nature's most powerful storms. Last week Hurricane Ike nearly played out as a worst-case scenario for Galveston and Houston, Texas, and New Orleans was scared anew from Hurricane Gustav prior to that....

By Andrew Freedman | September 16, 2008; 12:30 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Climate Change, News & Notes, Science, Tropical Weather
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Recap: Summer 90 Degree Days

Back in May, we asked Capital Weather Gang readers to predict how many 90 degree days there would be at Reagan National Airport (DCA) during meteorological summer (which spans June 1 to August 31). The results are here: more at twiigs.com... How many 90 degree days did DCA actually record?...

By Jason Samenow | September 16, 2008; 10:30 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Local Climate, Recaps
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Forecast: Carbon Copycast

Little change in forecast for next several days A big blob of high pressure will stretch from the Southern Plains to the Northeast through the rest of the week, into the weekend and even into next week. We'll spend most of that time toward the southeastern edge of the high,...

By Matt Rogers | September 16, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Forecasts
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UnitedCast: Comfy Kickoff to Champions League

Updated: 11 a.m. United vs. Deportivo SaprissaTonight, 8 p.m., RFK Stadium KickoffFinal WhistleWeatherChance of Rain73F69FComfortable5%No more of that heat and humidity from the weekend. Tonight will be a good one for soccer. Cool enough to warrant a light jacket for some. UnitedCast appears on the day of every United...

By Capital Weather Gang | September 16, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: UnitedCast
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NatCast: Nice Night to Meet the Mets

Nationals vs. MetsTonight, 7:10 p.m., Nationals Park First Pitch9th InningWeatherChance of Rain75F70FPleasant conditions5% Should be another excellent evening to go for a second win against Mets. Is that possible? NatCast appears on the day of every Nationals home game. Also, see our full forecast through the weekend....

By Matt Rogers | September 16, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NatCast
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Photography: Hazy, Humid Sunrise

The sun rises over the Lincoln Memorial at 6:53am on Sunday morning. This photo was taken from the Netherlands Carillon. This time of year, the sun aligns with the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, and Capitol. I usually hope for a hazy or foggy day so that I can photograph the...

By Kevin Ambrose | September 15, 2008; 6:45 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Photography
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PM Update: Signs of Fall Return

Partly sunny and pleasantly cool Tuesday Webcam: Latest view of D.C. from the Netherlands Carillon at Arlington National Cemetery. Courtesy National Park Service. Refresh page to update. The unbearable heat and humidity of the weekend has been swept away today as warm conditions continue. Highs are reaching the mid 80s...

By Ian Livingston | September 15, 2008; 3:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Forecasts
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Freedman: Weather Almanacs Grapple with Warming

As the field of meteorology becomes more sophisticated, with technologies like phased-array radar and petascale computers, there are still some stalwarts who prefer to rely instead on offbeat techniques to predict the weather far in advance. Although most scientists deride those old-school people as rather silly, since the weather is...

By Andrew Freedman | September 15, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Climate Change, Freedman, Media, News & Notes
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Forecast: Consistent Comfort Coming

A cool front glides through the region very early this morning, stirring up the winds and slowly, but surely, drying out our recently sultry air. By tomorrow, high pressure builds into the region initiating a stretch of mild, rain-free days that may last through the weekend. TODAY (MONDAY) Quite...

By Jason Samenow | September 15, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Forecasts
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NatCast: Dry and Pleasant

Nationals vs. MetsTonight, 7:10 p.m., Nationals Park First Pitch9th InningWeatherChance of Rain77F71FMostly clear5%Temperatures will steadily drop through the 70s during the game, with a light northwest breeze. Conditions will be very comfortable for baseball. NatCast appears on the day of every Nationals home game. Also, see our full...

By Jason Samenow | September 15, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NatCast
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Ike's Bad Blow Was Almost Worse

The cleanup continues in Texas and Louisiana today, even as rain and thunderstorms complicate the matter. Hurricane Ike flooded hundreds of miles of coastline, destroyed buildings and knocked out power for millions of people. The good news is the death toll appears to be low -- so far. Thousands are...

By Dan Stillman | September 14, 2008; 12:00 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (46)
Categories: Tropical Weather
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Forecast: Stifling Heat Takes a Parting Shot

By Brian Jackson Summer heat isn't done with our region quite yet. Winds from the south will pump heat and humidity into the mid-Atlantic today, raising our temperatures to July/August levels. Relief comes late Monday when a cold front passes through the area providing pleasant and cooler weather for the...

By Brian Jackson | September 14, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Forecasts
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SkinsCast: September Sweat

Redskins vs. SaintsSunday, 1:00 p.m., FedEx Field Kickoff2-Min WarningWeatherChance of Precip.90F94FHot & Humid10%This is some serious heat and humidity, especially for mid-September. You'll want to stay hydrated with temperatures spiking to the low-to-mid 90s, and the heat index in the mid-to-upper 90s. SkinsCast appears before every Redskins home...

By Josh Larson | September 14, 2008; 12:45 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: SkinsCast
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Capital Weather Gang: September 14, 2008 - September 20, 2008