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PM Update: Chilly Night, Then Warm and Warmer
70s Friday with 80s (and higher?) this weekend
Frost Advisory from 2 a.m. until 8 a.m. for far western suburbs
* Climate Change Chat | NWS Media Day | Niagara Falls in Spring *
Today began the transition from unsettled and chilly to dry and summery, and many locations will see high temperatures nearly 30 degrees higher this weekend compared to yesterday. Meanwhile, sun mixed with puffy cumulus clouds made for a pleasant one today if you don't mind an occasionally gusty wind. Temperatures that made it to highs in the 60s will fall off relatively quickly as we pass sunset.
Tonight: This may be our last truly chilly night till next fall. Readings should drop to the mid-30s in the colder suburbs to around 40 degrees downtown. With winds rapidly dying off overnight, some frost is possible in the coldest spots.
Tomorrow (Friday): We will take another step from the end-of-winter conditions yesterday to summer-like temperatures of the weekend on Friday. Mid-to-upper 70s should spread across the area under tons of sun and on a light south wind.
See Camden Walker's full forecast through the warm weekend and into next week.
90 in April? With the coming heat of this weekend, some rumors of 90 degree readings are being passed around. How common is it to see 90 in April in D.C.? Not very. Examining the last 15 occurrences at National Airport takes us all the way back to April 1976, with the most recent occurring in 2004. The highest reading in that time period was 95 -- also the record high for the month -- in both 1976 and 2002. One thing worth noting: When it has happened, it has often happened more than once over a several day stretch.
By
Ian Livingston
| April 23, 2009; 3:15 PM ET
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Posted by: hikeguy23 | April 23, 2009 3:27 PM | Report abuse
Heat records continue to be set, now in the Midwest.
Posted by: CapitalClimate | April 23, 2009 4:25 PM | Report abuse
The latest date in April never to have reached 90° was 2 days ago, although May 2 has the same distinction.
Posted by: CapitalClimate | April 23, 2009 4:48 PM | Report abuse
I think we'll see some 90s close by if not in the area this weekend into early next week. Sunday looks like a contender with west winds and a warmer start than Saturday. Some clouds and maybe a popup storm could get in the way though... I would not be surprised to se DCA get to 89 and not 90! ;-)
Posted by: Ian-CapitalWeatherGang | April 23, 2009 4:55 PM | Report abuse
I suppose it will hit 90. I'd be happy if it was 75.
Posted by: Murre | April 23, 2009 5:16 PM | Report abuse
Tom Skilling/WGN just reported a reading of 98F at one South Dakota station. This has not yet been updated by Capital Climate.
I see a possible 87 or 88 here, potentially even in the low 90's if it gets even warmer. Our records here are in the low to possibly mid-nineties.
Skilling also discussed his RPM [Rapid Precision Mesoscale] Model. I did a web search and found that WSI, a private weather service, offers this model, apparently at a price. I'd be interested in whether anyone around here does mesoscale modeling like WGN. I think Fox 5's "Storm Force" does something similar.
Speaking of Chicago, they are expecting 2+ inches of rain in the near term, well above normal. Out in the Corn Belt, the farmers are behind in getting the crops planted; it has just been too wet to plant. Only 15% or less of the corn crop is in the ground due to wet conditions. Normally half or more of the crop should be planted by now.
Posted by: Bombo47jea | April 23, 2009 11:04 PM | Report abuse
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So how warm does everybody think it will get over the weekend. Post your thoughts.