7:00 AM | Much cooler air has moved in and there will be occasional showers to close out the week

6-Day Forecast

Today

Mostly cloudy, windy, much cooler with lingering showers, highs in the mid 60’s early this morning

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, windy, chilly, chance for more showers, lows in the mid 40’s

Saturday

Becoming partly sunny, windy, cool, mid-to-upper 60’s

Saturday Night

Partly cloudy, chilly, mid 40’s

Sunday

Mostly sunny, breezy, cool, near 70

Monday

Mostly sunny, milder, mid 70’s

Tuesday

Partly sunny, even milder, upper 70’s

Wednesday

Variable clouds, warm, chance for showers and thunderstorms, low 80’s

Discussion

A strong cold front has passed through the region ushering in much cooler air for today and the weekend, and weather conditions will remain quite unsettled as a coastal low pressure system forms along the now stalled out front. Showers will linger around here through tonight as a slow-moving nor’easter strengthens along the frontal boundary zone over the next 24 hours or so and it'll remain quite windy and cool. In fact, the air will actually be cold enough farther north for some snow to fall from this coastal low in the interior higher elevations of the Northeast US. Strong Canadian high pressure will take better control of our weather on Sunday and Monday with plenty of sunshine expected both days, but it’ll still be rather cool for this time of year. Milder air works its way to the Mid-Atlantic region by the middle of next week with the 80's likely again later next week.

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7:00 AM | Strong storms possible as powerful cold front reaches the coast by tonight; nor’easter forms along front and affects our early weekend weather

6-Day Forecast

Today

Mostly cloudy, still warm and humid, but not quite as warm as yesterday, occasional showers and possible afternoon thunderstorms, any shower can be heavy and some of the PM thunderstorms can be strong-to-severe with heavy rainfall, strong wind gusts and hail, highs near 80 degrees

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, mild early, turning cooler late, occasional rain and a couple of thunderstorms possible, some of the rain can be heavy at times and any storm can be strong-to-severe with heavy rain, strong gusty winds and hail, lows in the upper 50’s by morning

Friday

Mostly cloudy, windy, much cooler, lingering showers likely, mid 60’s

Friday Night

Mostly cloudy, chilly, still the chance for showers, mid-to-upper 40’s

Saturday

Still some clouds, breezy, cool, chance for a lingering shower or two; especially, north and east of the District, upper 60’s

Sunday

Mostly sunny, breezy, cool, low 70’s

Monday

Mostly sunny, pleasant, low-to-mid 70's

Tuesday

Mostly cloudy, milder, mid-to-upper 70’s

Discussion

Big changes are on the way for the Mid-Atlantic region over the next couple of days as the pattern transitions from summer-like to rather winter-like by early this weekend with a full-fledged nor'easter developing off the Northeast US coastline. The transition from summer's warmth and humidity to yet another chilly air mass has actually already begun as the peak in the heat occurred yesterday with highs in the upper 80's in many parts of the DC metro region. Temperatures will actually drop more than 40 degrees over the next couple of days from yesterday's highs in the upper 80's to weekend lows in the middle 40's. As a powerhouse cold frontal system approaches the east coast today, there will be occasional showers and thunderstorms. Any shower can contain heavy rainfall and any thunderstorm that forms this afternoon and evening can reach strong-to-severe levels with heavy rain, strong gusty winds and hail. In fact, there will likely be scattered strong-to-severe thunderstorms up and down the east coast later today from the Carolinas to New England as this strong cold front heads to the coast.

Once the cold front reaches the east coast later tonight, a strong upper level low will dig into the Mid-Atlantic coastal region, and this will to cause the frontal system to grind to a halt as a nor’easter-type of coastal storm develops at the same time much chillier air pours into the region. As a result, Friday will turn out to be breezy and much cooler than today in the Mid-Atlantic region with lots of clouds and residual showers and, as the coastal storm only slowly pulls away to the northeast, Saturday will likely also turn out to be somewhat unsettled with some clouds, breezy and cool conditions with a lingering shower or two possible; especially, in areas to the north and east of the District. Farther north, the colder air mass will actually allow for the possibility for snowflakes to fall in some of the interior, higher elevation (>2000 feet) locations of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast US early this weekend (e.g., Adirondacks, Green and White mountains). By Sunday, strong Canadian high pressure should finally take control of the weather and there will be plenty of sunshine around and that pattern will continue on Monday as well, however, both days will remain cooler-than-normal (normal high is now 77 degrees).

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7:00 AM | Another summerlike day with heat and humidity; strong storms possible today and tomorrow; much cooler this weekend

6-Day Forecast

Today

Clouds this morning then partial sunshine this afternoon, very warm and humid, chance for showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and any storm that forms can be strong, highs in the mid-to-upper 80’s

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, mild, chance for showers and thunderstorms and any storm that forms can be strong, mid-to-upper 60’s

Thursday

Mostly cloudy, warm and humid, showers and thunderstorms likely and some of the storms can be strong-to-severe, near 80

Thursday Night

Mostly cloudy, mild early, turning cooler late, chance for showers and thunderstorms, upper 50’s by morning

Friday

Mostly cloudy, breezy, cooler, chance for a lingering morning shower, upper 60's

Saturday

Partly sunny, breezy, cool, near 70

Sunday

Mostly sunny, cool, near 70

Monday

Increasing clouds, still on the cool side, near 70

Discussion

A taste of summer will continue today in the Mid-Atlantic region as temperatures will climb well up into the 80’s in most locations and humidity levels will stay on the high side. Dew points climbed into the middle 60’s on Monday in the Mid-Atlantic region and then they reached the even more stifling upper 60’s on Tuesday to go along with summerlike temperatures. Showers and thunderstorms can break out at just about any time this afternoon and evening although much of the time will be rain-free. Any storm that forms this afternoon or evening can be on the strong side with some briefly heavy rainfall and perhaps some hail and high wind gusts. By tomorrow, a strong cold front will be moving through the Ohio Valley on its way to the east coast and this will enhance the chances for shower and thunderstorm activity in the DC metro region and there is a decent chance that strong-to-severe storms will develop later tomorrow and tomorrow night in the entire region between the Carolinas and New England.

Once the cold front reaches the east coast by early Friday, it will tend to slow down a bit and this will allow for mostly cloudy skies to continue on Friday along with cooler conditions and the threat for a residual morning shower. By the weekend, strong Canadian high pressure will slowly build into the Mid-Atlantic region and, similar to many previous springtime scenarios, much colder-than-normal air will spread to the eastern states with this high pressure system. As a result, it does not look at all like a “beach-type” weekend for coastal locations in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast US, and frost is actually not out of the question for some interior, higher elevation locations. Cool and dry weather is likely to continue into the latter part of the Memorial Day weekend though clouds should thicken up on Monday as moisture heads our way from our southwest.

One final note: the tornado that struck Oklahoma on Monday has now been upgraded to an "EF-5" classification level which is the most intense type on the "Enhanced Fugita" scale and it is suggestive of 200+ mph winds.

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