D.C.-area forecast: Somewhat cool to start this week but milder by Friday

The middle of the week is sunny but on the cool side of normal

Radar courtesy MyRadar | © OpenStreetMap contributors

9:55 a.m. — Rain may be pretty spotty this afternoon — resulting in an improved forecast

After a sunny start, clouds have increased some this morning but our initial forecast for a dreary, damp day may have been overly pessimistic. While we expect mostly cloudy skies through the afternoon, some breaks in the clouds are possible at times, especially in our western areas. Rainfall, meanwhile, may be pretty spotty. Short-term models only suggest a few spotty showers and it should be dry more often than not. Highs should be closer to 60 than 55.

Today’s daily digit

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

3/10: After Sunday’s sunny 70-degree weather, today’s rainy 50s are a downer.

Express forecast

• Today: Rain showers — especially around midday. Highs: 55 to 60.
• Tonight: Partial clearing, a few areas of fog. Lows: Near 40.
• Tomorrow: Partly sunny. Highs: Near 55.

Forecast in detail

Today is a damp and dreary way to start the week, but then we can look forward to several days of sunshine. Temperatures will be on the cool side of normal through Thursday, before they spike Friday into Saturday because of a warm front. A cold front that passes during the second half of Saturday then sets up a cooler Sunday. After today’s rain, it’s mainly dry until the chance of showers and storms on Friday and Saturday, especially in the afternoon.

Today (Monday): Increasing clouds in the morning with showers developing toward midday and continuing intermittently through the afternoon. Amounts should be light, generally under 0.25 inches. The clouds and rain hold highs from 55 to 60. Winds are from the east at 5 to 10 mph. Confidence: Medium-High

Tonight: Showers should end by the evening in most spots. Skies partially clear overnight although some spotty fog could form given some lingering moisture. Lows are around 40. Confidence: Medium-High

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Tomorrow (Tuesday): Cooler air flows into the region behind the cool front that passed Monday. Despite partial sunshine, highs are only around 55 and there’s a brisk breeze from the north at 10 to 15 mph with some higher gusts. Confidence: Medium-High

Tomorrow night: A weak disturbance passing to our south generates increased cloud cover and there’s a small chance of a shower (20 percent or so). But it’s dry for the most part, with chilly lows from 35 to 40. Confidence: Medium-High

A look ahead

Even though Wednesday and Thursday are chillier than normal (the average high is now in the low 60s), they are a pair of good-looking days because of bright sunshine. Highs are mostly in the mid-50s, although I wouldn’t be surprised if some spots — especially those to the south — sneak up closer to 60. The nights are rather chilly with lows in the 30s (with a freeze possible in our colder areas Wednesday night) to near 40. Confidence: Medium-High

The warm front coming through on Friday will probably set off some showers and perhaps some thunderstorms. It probably won’t be a washout, though. Highs may reach the 60s but we’ll need to watch the possibility they hold in the 50s if cooler air gets wedged in. It’s breezy and mild Friday night with lows in the 50s. Confidence: Medium

Assuming the warm front is able to pass to our north by Saturday morning, temperatures should make a nice leap with the potential for highs well into the 70s. A cold front should pass during the second half of the day offering the chance of fast-moving showers and storms. It then turns breezy and cooler Saturday night with lows in the 40s. Confidence: Low-Medium

Sunshine returns for Sunday, but it’s rather chilly again. Highs are around 55. Confidence: Medium