7:15 AM | "Snow-eating" wind overnight causes snow to virtually disappear; partial sunshine returns today after gloomy start

6-Day Forecast

Today

Early morning clouds and fog give way to partial sunshine, breezy, mild, highs in the mid-to-upper 40’s

Tonight

Mostly clear, cold, lows in the upper 20’s

Wednesday

Partly sunny, a little colder, low 40’s

Wednesday Night

Mostly cloudy, cold, slight chance for a wintry mix late, lows near 30

Thursday

Mostly cloudy, chilly, rain likely, but it may cold enough for a wintry mix at the onset, low 40’s

Friday

Mostly cloudy, rain continues in the morning, breezy, a bit milder, upper 40’s

Saturday

Partly sunny, cool, low 40’s

Sunday

Partly sunny, cold, snow showers possible, mid 30’s

Discussion

There is a wind known in parts of the country as the "chinook" and it is often cited for its dramatic warming and drying capabilities. It has also become known as a "snow-eating" wind as there have been cases where significant snow literally disappears overnight after the wind kicks in and temperatures jump dramatically. Typically, one hears of this wind in places like North and South Dakota where wind flow from the higher levels of the front range of the Rockies descends onto the lower levels of the Northern Plains causing significant warming and drying. The Mid-Atlantic experienced its own mini-version of the "chinook" wind last night as winds kicked up after dark, temperatures rose, and our snow cover virtually disappeared overnight. High pressure will now build into the region for today and tomorrow and temperatures will stay above normal, but will be slightly cooler on Wednesday. Low pressure will approach the area on Thursday bringing some rain with it, and it could be just cold enough for a wintry mix to get involved at the onset of the event late Wednesday night or early Thursday. That rain will continue into Friday morning and then it'll turn colder as the weekend progresses.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/vRTLF1M-jJY