PM Update: Colder Air Poised to Make Return
Blustery Saturday on tap. Some white stuff next week?
* Inauguration Weather: How Cold Was It? | Contrails in the Sky *
A rising sun angle and longer daylight hours teamed up with mild southerly winds to produce a fairly warm one around these parts for January -- some would say we deserve it. Highs in the low-to-mid 50s were common across the area today, and the relative warmth will last through the evening. Hope you enjoyed the one-day taste of "spring-like" weather, because our friend of late -- cold air -- returns tomorrow.

A few clouds dot today's midday sky over Glover Park, D.C. By Ian Livingston.
Tonight: We'll see clouds on the increase ahead of a cold front, and temperatures will continue relatively mild. Look for evening readings to fall slowly through the 40s before dropping to overnight lows near freezing in the northwest suburbs, or down to the mid 30s for D.C. and south or east.
Tomorrow (Saturday): A morning cold front returns us to more typical mid-winter conditions tomorrow, as early cloudiness gives way to increasing sunshine. Temperatures will peak near highs of 40 while a chilly northwest wind, gusting to near 30 mph, blows new cold air into the area.
Easing Out of Winter? We are passing by the typically coldest time of year and averages are about to head back up. Does this mean we should expect more days like today in the near future? As far as daytime highs, not till the end of February and beginning of March. So, as the upcoming cold shot will remind us, there is still plenty of winter left. Now just to get some snow to go with it...
See Camden Walker's forecast through the beginning of next week.
By
Ian Livingston
| January 23, 2009; 3:15 PM ET
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Posted by: Havoc737 | January 23, 2009 3:55 PM | Report abuse
Re sun angle:
We're still pretty much in the flat part of the curve. The difference between Dec. 21 and Jan. 23 is barely 3°. It goes up almost 3 times that much in the next month.
Posted by: CapitalClimate | January 23, 2009 4:12 PM | Report abuse
How does it look for the moisture coming our way next week? Seems like the cold line will be setup a little further south this time. Probably more of an icing event?
Posted by: bendersx6 | January 23, 2009 4:32 PM | Report abuse
Today's sun angle plot is here.
Posted by: CapitalClimate | January 23, 2009 4:44 PM | Report abuse
So, I'm reading that some kids were arrested in NC for a snowball fight that got out of hand. Wish we had that problem here.
Posted by: epjd | January 23, 2009 5:11 PM | Report abuse
Today's PM extended forecast discussion appears to bring back the threat of snow for Tuesday/Wednesday. [Not sure of amount or forecast confidence.] Later the snow/mix appears to change to plain ol' rain before tapering off.
The problem appears to be one of confidence in the model pattern setup.
Posted by: Bombo47jea | January 23, 2009 6:51 PM | Report abuse
I like what I see on the graphic, but I'm really scared to trust it. I think I need some sort of meteoroligical therapy. I know it's far away, and I usually hate it when people start asking this far out, but I'm desperate. What are the odds that we'll get some accumulating snow Monday-Wednesday?
Posted by: chrissie413 | January 23, 2009 9:11 PM | Report abuse
chrissie413 (or shall we say "desperate in comment-land") -- I apologize in advance that this won't exactly be a therapeutic response. At this point, precipitation itself is no sure bet, let alone accumulation. Thus far, too early and too uncertain to even put any odds on accumulation. Hang in there though. Hopefully we'll be able to say something more concrete in the coming days.
Posted by: Dan-CapitalWeatherGang | January 23, 2009 10:32 PM | Report abuse
ahhha! 00Z GFS keeps the DC shutout going!
Might be right but might not. Per this run, southern Va/NC jackpot! Still a lot of time to change!
Posted by: clintonportis17 | January 23, 2009 11:08 PM | Report abuse
I am telling you.....shut down CWG for a few weeks and we will certainly get a storm. All of this HOPE ticks mom nature off.
Posted by: stinkerflat1 | January 24, 2009 12:02 AM | Report abuse
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At a glance says chance of snow Tues. and Weds. I say a 100% chance of nothing but hype.