7:15 AM | Severe weather outbreak today in the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys; rain here tonight and tomorrow morning

6-Day Forecast

Today

Becoming cloudy, mild, showers possible after 4PM, highs near 60

Tonight

Periods of rain, maybe a thunderstorm or two mixed in, breezy, mild, upper 40's

Saturday

Occasional rain and a possible thunderstorm during the morning hours, windy, mild, afternoon clearing likely, low 60’s

Saturday Night

Partly cloudy, turning colder, mid 30’s

Sunday

Partly sunny, cooler, low 50’s

Monday

Partly sunny, breezy, chilly, maybe a few snow showers, low-to-mid 40's

Tuesday

Mostly sunny, still pretty chilly, upper 40’s

Wednesday

Partly sunny, milder, upper 50’s

Discussion

A major severe thunderstorm and tornado outbreak is likely this afternoon and evening across the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys as a powerful cold front combines with tremendous upper-level support to dramatically destabilize the atmosphere. This same system will weaken as it moves into the Mid-Atlantic region, but we can still expect occasional rain, some of which can be heavy, gusty winds and possible thunderstorms around here beginning early this evening and lasting through tomorrow morning. Colder air will follow the cold front on Sunday and Monday and temperatures by Monday afternoon will actually be below normal nearly twenty degrees colder than tomorrow's highs. The cold snap, however, will give way to a warming trend later next week and we’ll likely reach the upper 50's by Wednesday afternoon. As far as February is concerned, temperatures were well above normal (+5.3 degrees) which made it the 4th warmest February on record here in Washington, D.C., and it turned out to be slightly drier than normal.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/-VmfOvhNvZM