Forecast: Super Start to Work Week, Foul Finish

Cold rain likely at times late Wed-Sat

* Outside Now? Temps, Clouds, Webcam & More: Weather Wall *
* Tell a Friend About CWG: E-mail This Forecast *

EXPRESS FORECAST

Today: Mostly cloudy. 60-63. | Tonight: Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of a light shower. 50-55. | Tomorrow: Partly sunny, breezy. 65-70. | A Look Ahead

FORECAST IN DETAIL

Lucky for those of you with today off (I know many of us have to work), the stretch of excellent autumn weather continues -- notwithstanding some increasing cloud cover. Enjoyable conditions persist into Wednesday, but then it's downhill in a big way starting late Wednesday through at least Friday. A raw, soaking rain looks like a strong possibility. Whether the rain moves out by the weekend is an open question. Sunday shows more promise for clearing than Saturday at this early juncture.

Clouds: Latest mid-Atlantic infrared satellite loop, courtesy Unisys. Click here to expand. Refresh page to update. What's Z-time?. See more maps on our Weather Wall.

Today (Monday): No doubt, the day will begin on the chilly side and be more cloudy than sunny. There should be enough sun to get us to 60 or perhaps a little higher but it will be brisk. Winds will be light from the east, at 5-10 mph. Confidence: Medium-High

Tonight: A relatively weak weather front will skirt through the area, producing some clouds but probably little or nothing in the way of rain (80% chance of no rain). Lows will range from near 50 in the cooler suburbs to the mid-50s downtown. Confidence: Medium-High

Keep reading for the forecast through the work week

Beautiful blue skies and some early foliage in Adams Morgan yesterday. By CWG photographer Ian Livingston

Tomorrow (Tuesday): Sunshine will return in force Tuesday behind the so-called front (whose main effect will be to change the wind direction, rather than cool the air). Temperatures will rise back up well into the 60s to near 70. It will be a little breezy, with a wind from the northwest at 10-20 mph. Confidence: Medium-High

Tomorrow Night: Under mostly clear skies, we'll have another crisp fall night. Lows will drop to near 40 in the cooler suburbs with upper 40s downtown. Confidence: Medium-High

A LOOK AHEAD

On Wednesday, sunshine in the morning will yield to increasing clouds during the afternoon, with a 40% chance of rain by the P.M. commute. High will be near 60. Confidence: Medium

Rain is likely periodically (i.e. with breaks in the action) late Wednesday through Saturday as several waves of low pressure develop to the south and head up the coast. The exact track and timing of the various lows will determine how much it rains, where, when and for how long. But - in all likelihood -- everyone will get some appreciable rain during this period, and it will be mainly cloudy and raw. I'm thinking highs will be 50-55 during this stretch with lows in the 40s. It will probably also be breezy, with a wind from the east and northeast at 10-20 mph. Confidence: Medium

A few showers could (25% chance) linger into Sunday morning, but my best guess at this point is that we'll have slow clearing by afternoon. A very chilly air mass is likely to follow the departing storm, with temperatures not making much headway through the 50s. Confidence: Low-Medium