PM Update: Crawling Back Toward Winter Chill

Cold gusty winds bring blustery and dry New Year's Eve

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Two days ago at this time, National Airport was sitting at 70 degrees. The gradual step back toward reality began yesterday, but the area still sits above average this afternoon with highs having reached the 50s. Gusty winds of the morning are temporarily subsiding and high pressure's brief stay will provide a calm and cool ride into the last day of 2008.

Tonight: High pressure remains in control most of the night and winds stay fairly light. Expect partly cloudy skies with lows in the mid 30s.

Tomorrow (New Year's Eve): Temperatures drop, winds pick up, and morning clouds give way to increasing sun behind a cold front. After early highs in the low 40s, look for readings to fall into the 30s during the afternoon as winds gust up to and over 35 mph. By the time 2009 arrives, most locations should be in the 20s with a fairly gusty wind continuing to blow.

Just How Warm? Counting today, 6 of the last 7 days have had temperatures above normal at National Airport. The six days prior to today (today's numbers are not final yet, but shouldn't change things much) averaged 10 degrees above normal, with a +23 (12/28) as the warmest and a -2 (12/26) as the coldest. Tomorrow, we return back to near-or below-normal temperatures, and are about 10 days away from entering the climatologically coldest period of winter.

See Matt Rogers' forecast through the first weekend of 2009.