Radar courtesy MyRadar | ？ OpenStreetMap contributors

       * Winter weather advisories for areas along and west of Interstate 95 Saturday morning and afternoon | Wind advisory from 6 a.m. Saturday to 1 a.m. Sunday *

       If you were out today and didn’t catch the forecast for the weekend, winter would be the last thing on your mind. Strengthening March sun and temperatures in the low 60s felt mighty nice, even with occasionally gusty south winds. A powerful storm system is beginning to gather to our south as a strong cold front moves our way. They’re set to conspire to deliver us a mid-March snow event and a wild ride to get there.

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       Potent storm to bring plummeting temperatures and snow to D.C. area Saturday

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       Through tonight: Mainly clear skies will continue into the evening, but clouds will increase before midnight. Rain will move in during the predawn, with temperatures in the 40s to near 50 overnight before the front passes. About a quarter-inch might fall before any change to sleet and snow. Around sunrise, temperatures will be in the upper 30s and lower 40s and dropping. Rain will change to snow fairly rapidly from northwest to southeast.

       View the current weather at The Washington Post.

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       Tomorrow (Saturday): Any mixed precipitation will become all snow during the post-sunrise period. Snow will be moderate to occasionally heavy as temperatures fall near freezing by midmorning. It could come down at a good clip until around noon, with tapering afterward. While grassy and elevated surfaces will see the most accumulation, some may also occur on roads during heavier snow that may reach or surpass one inch per hour.

       By the time it ends, most spots will be falling through the 20s and have a coating to a couple of inches of snow on the ground. What a difference a day makes! Winds around 20 to 30 mph out of the northwest could gust to 45 or 50 mph. Those gusts will make it feel colder than the thermometer shows and may lead to low visibility from blowing snow.

       Sunday: Coming off a frigid night, with lows in the midteens to low 20s, we’ll see limited warming to end the weekend. Lots of sun and slowly diminishing winds are plusses, but temperatures in the low and mid-40s are 10 or more degrees below normal. It does look like an extended warmer spell will begin Monday.

       See Camden Walker’s forecast through the beginning of next week. And if you haven’t already, join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. For related traffic news, check out Gridlock.

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