D.C. area forecast: Thin cloud cover keeps it cool today, weekend rain chances fade

Today: High clouds, light winds. Highs 46-50. | Tonight: Still cloudy, calm. Lows 29-36. | Tomorrow: Gradual clearing. Highs 49-53. | Get Express Forecast by E-mail

A somewhat subjective rating of the day’s weather, on a scale of 0 to 10


The veiled sun keeps it too cool to be without a jacket. Otherwise the calm, dry conditions are likeable. Get the Digit on Twitter| Discuss on Facebook

Good leaf raking weather abounds the next few days with calm winds and crisp, dry conditions. The potential late weekend storm is looking too far into the ocean to be of major concern. Hopefully, it won’t push too many clouds over us Saturday night so we can watch the Leonid meteor shower. The new string of below normal days is with us for the duration but nothing too painful.

Today (Thursday): Clouds cover the sky but they should be thin enough most of the time to at least let in filtered sunshine. Showers should remain far to our south in the Carolinas. The nearly calm winds are welcome as highs do no better than upper 40s in most areas. Confidence: Medium-High

Tonight: Only the brightest stars have a chance at piercing through the thin clouds. Winds remain nil but it is still chilly. Lows bottom out in the upper 20s suburbs to mid-30s downtown. Confidence: Medium-High

For related traffic news, check out Dr. Gridlock. Keep reading for the forecast through the weekend...

Tomorrow (Friday): The clouds should diminish as the day progresses but this does little to boost our anemic temperature climb. Highs hold in the upper 40s to lower 50s. Winds remain very light. Confidence: Medium-High

Tomorrow night: The clearing should be enough by this evening to give us a glimpse of our crescent moon and Mars together on the western horizon. Light winds remain a blessing as chilly readings are not. Lows fall to the 30s. Confidence: High

Saturday is the best day of this forecast string with unadulterated sun for a change. However, this cold air mass is a tough one and highs in the low-to-mid 50s re all that can be hoped for. Winds remain light. Clouds may not arrive until very late night giving meteor watchers a fighting chance to see the Leonids. Best viewed after midnight requires bundling up as lows range from mid-30s outside the beltway to near 40 downtown. Confidence: Medium-High

Sunday sees clouds on the increase in the morning and a wind from the north picking up the pace by afternoon. This is due to the disturbance trying but likely failing to become a coastal storm (more likely it gets its act together farther out into the ocean). There is only a 20% chance of showers and most of those should be after dark and barely able to get the wipers running. Daytime highs creep up to the upper 40s to lower 50s. Overnight lows slip to the upper 30s to lower 40s. Confidence: Medium

Monday remains cloudy but shower potential is minimal. Look for highs in the upper 40s to lower 50s. Confidence:Medium