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D.C.-area forecast: Cool sunshine into Friday before a rainy Saturday

The rainstorm Friday night into Saturday could drop at least 1 to 2 inches

By
March 21, 2024 at 5:00 a.m. EDT
Sunrise at the Tidal Basin on Monday. (Michael Warren/Flickr)
2 min

Today’s daily digit

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

6/10: Sunny but chilly; springtime is funny with temperatures all willy-nilly.

Express forecast

  • Today: Sunny and breezy. Highs: 44 to 50.
  • Tonight: Winds lighten under clear skies. Lows: 24 to 32.
  • Tomorrow: Sunny morning, increasingly cloudy afternoon. Highs: 48 to 54.

Forecast in detail

Slightly cooler-than-normal temperatures are with us through the weekend, while gusty breezes today and Saturday remind us it is March, our windiest month. A storm Friday night into Saturday is the big weathermaker, dropping substantial rains.

Today (Thursday): Sunny skies and blustery. But breezes from the northwest should slowly ease as the day wears on. Colder air is back in place and highs are mainly in the mid- to upper 40s. Confidence: High

Tonight: Clear skies afford a fine view of the waxing moon. As winds are light from the north, overnight lows fall into the mid- to upper 20s in our colder areas — with low 30s downtown. Protect any sensitive plants. Confidence: High

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Tomorrow (Friday): Morning sun quickly warms the area, but increasing clouds in the afternoon are likely to hold highs in the upper 40s to lower 50s. Light breezes from the northeast shift to the southeast later in the day. Confidence: Medium-High

Tomorrow night: A storm gathering strength along the Gulf Coast on Friday heads our way overnight with the first drops of rain likely to arrive around midnight. By dawn, locally heavy downpours are likely across the area. Lows hold in the low to mid-40s. Confidence: Medium-High

A look ahead

Rain is heavy at times on Saturday, especially in the morning, before slowly diminishing during the afternoon. By the time this storm is done, 1 to 2 inches of rain will be common with locally higher amounts possible. Gusty north winds will make it even more inclement. Highs reach the low to mid-50s. Showers should gradually die out in the evening, with clearing skies by morning. Lows fall to the upper 20s to lower 30s. Confidence: Medium-High

Sunshine is abundant on Sunday and winds gradually diminish. Highs remain in the low to mid-50s. The clear skies allow a good view of the rising full “worm” moon. Lows range through the 30s. Confidence: Medium-High

Monday is sunny and back to more seasonable temperatures with highs in the upper 50s to lower 60s. Confidence: Medium-High