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D.C.-area forecast: Temperatures bounce around into Tuesday before winter starts settling in

Much colder late this week with weekend snowflakes not out of the question

A beautiful afternoon at Kingman Island in Washington on Jan. 6. (Jim Havard via Flickr) (Jim Havard)

TODAY’S DAILY DIGIT

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

4/10: The clouds are back and so is a bit of a winter chill.

EXPRESS FORECAST

Today: Mostly cloudy. Highs: Near 40.

Tonight: Light rain showers late. Lows: Near 35.

Tomorrow: Becoming partly sunny, mild. Highs: 55 to 60.

View the current weather at The Washington Post headquarters.

FORECAST IN DETAIL

This week, we welcome back winter but not before a quick shot of 60-degree temperatures Tuesday. Both today and the stretch Thursday through the weekend, high temperatures won’t do much better than 40 degrees. By this weekend, we’ll need to watch a storm system to our south that could produce some snow in the region depending on how far north it tracks.

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Today (Monday): A chilly wind from the northeast (about 10 mph) means temperatures a good 15 degrees lower than they were yesterday. Highs struggle to reach 40 and it’s cloudier than not. Confidence: Medium-High

Tonight: Skies turn overcast and some rain is possible after about 10 p.m. The chance of measurable rainfall ranges from 60 percent in our northern suburbs to 40 percent south of the Beltway. Any rain should end before dawn. Temperatures mostly hold steady in the upper 30s to near 40. Confidence: Medium-High

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest updates. For related traffic news, check out Gridlock. Keep reading for the forecast through the weekend . ..

Tomorrow (Tuesday): The sun comes back out and, aided by mild breezes from the southwest (around 10 to 15 mph), temperatures warm to 55 to 60 degrees. Enjoy it while it lasts. Confidence: Medium-High

Tomorrow night: Cooler air starts to trickle in behind a cold front passing during the evening and we can’t rule out a shower. Winds start to kick up out of the west and northwest — sustained about 10 mph but gusting over 20 mph at times. Temperatures drop into the mid- to upper 30s under partly to mostly cloudy skies. Confidence: Medium-High

A LOOK AHEAD

The period Wednesday through Friday is mostly sunny and dry but winter is back in charge. Temperatures could reach at least midway through the 40s on Wednesday, but a blustery wind makes it feel colder. By Thursday, highs reach only the 30s and it’s still windy. On Friday, winds relax, but highs may be stuck in the 30s for a second straight day. Lows each night are in the 20s to near 30. Confidence: Medium-High

The weekend forecast depends on the track of a storm system developing to the south. It could miss us and leave behind just partly cloudy skies, we could get skirted with some light snow and flurries or we could see a period of accumulating snow. Whatever the case, it should be cold with highs in the 30s and lows in the 20s. Confidence: Low-Medium

SNOW POTENTIAL INDEX

A daily assessment of the potential for at least one inch of snow in the next week, on a 0-10 scale.

1/10 (): The southern system next weekend finally may offer snow lovers something to track.

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