* Winter storm watch from Interstate 95 westward Sunday afternoon to Monday morning *
Today’s daily digit
Wp Get the full experience.Choose your plan ArrowRight
A somewhat subjective rating of the day’s weather, on a scale of 0 to 10.
4/10: Winds are calming through the day … But unless it’s snowing, temperatures below freezing are not my favorite.
Express forecast
Today: Partly to mostly cloudy. Highs: Upper 20s to around 30. Tonight: Partly to mostly clear. Lows: 12-22. Tomorrow: Snow developing, changing to freezing rain and rain. Highs: Near freezing, rising into night.
Forecast in detail
Arctic air is in control today. Even without snow cover most spots, temperatures will struggle to get past the 20s and they’ll generally fail in the attempt. Along with the cold air today comes very dry air, so grab the lip balm and be careful what you touch as you may give it a zap. Beyond today’s chill, all eyes are on a storm gathering over the South. It’ll move this way into tomorrow, delivering a smorgasbord of weather types as it passes.
Story continues below advertisement
Today (Saturday): Clouds may tend to win out on the whole, although some periods of sunshine also seem likely. Cold air is flexing, so high temperatures are only in the 20s to perhaps near 30. If it weren’t for very dry air — dew points near zero at times — I’d wonder if we might see a flurry. In this case, it’ll be tough given the dryness. Winds are around 10 to 15 mph early but decreasing with time. Confidence: Medium-High
Advertisement
Tonight: It’s a mix of stars and clouds. We should trend largely clear for a while, but clouds are on the increase again toward dawn. Lows range from the low teens to the low 20s. Winds are light. Confidence: High
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest weather updates. Keep reading for the forecast through the weekend …
Tomorrow (Sunday): Clouds are increasing and lowering in the morning. You might notice that “it’s about to snow” smell in the crisp air. Snow probably begins somewhere in the 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. time frame locally. It could come down moderate to heavy at times, leading to dangerous travel conditions given temperatures below freezing. A few inches could pile up quick, although it’s still possible we don’t see a lot of snow before the changeover. Daytime highs are around 30 but rising above freezing from southeast to northwest into the evening. Confidence: Medium
Tomorrow night: The main thrust of heavy precipitation probably comes from mid-evening through the hours just after midnight. Some of it is freezing rain, which only makes travel more difficult. Places west and northwest of Fairfax County and toward Interstate 81 may see significant icing of a quarter inch or more, which can cause power outages. Rain should take over most of the area overnight as temperatures spike to near or past 40 before dropping a bit into sunrise. By dawn, rain showers may be turning back to snow showers. Confidence: Medium
A look ahead
The storm is pulling away Monday. In its wake, we still see a good deal of clouds and perhaps periodic showers of rain or snow as a second disturbance passes aloft. Winds are also likely to be gusty, adding to the chill. Highs range from 40 to 45. I don’t think accumulation risk is much if anything, but it’s not impossible someone sees a dusting or so. Confidence: Medium
Advertisement
Story continues below advertisement
Clearing skies make for a nice-looking Tuesday from the inside. Then you check the temperature. Another cold one! Temperatures are mainly in the mid-30s for highs. Confidence: Medium
Snow potential index
A daily assessment of the potential for at least 1 inch of snow in the next week, on a 0-10 scale.
7/10 (→): Snow is likely Sunday afternoon. How long it snows and how much falls before a changeover to ice and rain … still a little questionable. It’s going to be messy, one way or another.