Forecast: Turning Blustery & Cold Once Again

Flurries possible today; wintry weather this weekend?

* Which Rain Gear Did You Use? | Later: Snowing While It's Sunny? *

EXPRESS FORECAST

Today: Partly sunny & windy. Sprinkles or flurries? Mid-40s. (Wind chills in the 30s.) | Tonight: Blustery & colder. Low 20s. | Tomorrow: Mostly sunny & breezy. Mid-to-upper 30s. | Tomorrow Night: Clear & very cold. Teens to low 20s. | A Look Ahead

FORECAST IN DETAIL

A cold front associated with the storm that brought precipitation to the area yesterday swept through the region last night, setting the stage for some wintry-feeling weather not only today but through the weekend. The big story over the next 36 hours will be the blustery wind, which will make it feel much colder than the actual air temperatures. The most ardent snow fanatics can hope for a few non-accumulating flurries today into tonight. Below-average temperatures continue into next week, with the chance of more wintry (measurable?) weather late Saturday into Sunday.

Today (Thursday): Be forewarned: partly sunny skies and high temperatures in the mid-40s today (likely mid-day) will be quite deceptive. For starters, blustery northwesterly winds of 15-25 mph (with occasional gusts to near 40 mph) will produce wind chills in the 30s for much of the day. Also, as an upper level disturbance passes to our north, sprinkles or scattered flurries cannot be ruled out. Temperatures will probably slowly drop to the mid-to-upper 30s by rush hour. Confidence: Medium

Tonight: Unfortunately, as temperatures fall to levels some 10+ degrees below normal for this time of year (18-24, suburbs-city), the blustery conditions will continue. That means some seriously nasty wind chills in the teens much of the time tonight, though down into the (dangerous) single digits during occasional NW gusts of 35 mph. Confidence: Medium-High

Keep reading for the chilly forecast through the beginning of next week.

Tomorrow (Friday): Despite mostly sunny conditions today, those particularly pesky continuing northwesterly winds of 15-30 mph will produce another very chilly day. Afternoon highs probably won't escape the 30s, but even worse, wind chill temperatures will hang out in the 20s throughout much of the day. Confidence: High

Tomorrow Night: Finally by tomorrow night the winds become much less of an issue. That doesn't mean they'll be totally banished, but they should die down to much more bearable levels near 10 mph. The big story, however, will be the bitterly cold temperatures more befitting mid- January. With clear skies above, I think temperatures will drop into the mid-to-upper teens in places like Reston and Damascus to near 20 downtown. Brrrr. Confidence: Medium-High

A LOOK AHEAD

Fairly benign conditions are expected -- at least during the first half of the day -- on Saturday, with a blend of clouds and sun and slightly milder afternoon highs probably making it into the mid 40s. However, it will become mostly cloudy by late in the day ahead of a weak storm system approaching from the west. Some snow or rain showers are possible (30% chance) as the system passes by. Temperatures will probably drop to around freezing. Confidence: Medium

As you get up Sunday morning expect cloudy skies with the potential for some lingering light snow flurries. Some sunshine is possible by afternoon, but highs may only reach the upper 30s. We still will need to watch the possible development of a storm to our south that could produce more snow, but the prospects are low at the moment. Skies will be partly cloudy Sunday night, with temperatures dropping to the mid 20s in many locations. Confidence: Medium

The outlook for Monday is for mostly sunny skies, light winds, but still-chilly afternoon highs only near 40; (they should be into the upper 40s by late February.) Mostly clear and "uneventful," if you will, Monday night, with lows once again in the 20s. Confidence: Medium-High