7:00 AM | **Near 70 degrees for highs today and then in the low 20's for lows early tomorrow; this dramatic transition will be accompanied by rain, strong-to-severe thunderstorms and possible damaging wind gusts as a powerful cold front sweeps through the metro region**

6-Day Forecast

Today

Occasional showers today with possible late afternoon thunderstorms, some of the storms that form can be strong-to-severe with damaging wind gusts and brief heavy rainfall, spring-like warmth today with highs not far from 70 degrees

Tonight

Rain showers and a possible strong-to-severe thunderstorm early then becoming sharply colder with whipping winds and possible snow showers late tonight, winds can gust up to 50 mph or so out of the northwest late tonight, the rapid drop in temperatures to below freezing levels can generate some icy spots, lows by morning in the low-to-mid 20's with even lower wind chills

Thursday

Becoming partly-to-mostly sunny, very windy and cold for this time of year, wind gusts could reach 40 mph, temperatures will struggle to pass the freezing mark

Thursday Night

Mostly clear, brisk and very cold, low 20’s

Friday

Mostly sunny, not nearly as cold, near 50

Saturday

Mostly cloudy, milder, near 60

Sunday

Partly sunny, colder, upper 40’s

Monday

Cloudy, cold, chance for snow or rain, near 40

Discussion

Some wild weather is in store for the region between late today and early tomorrow morning that will include spring-like warmth, rain, possible strong-to-severe thunderstorms, damaging wind gusts, plunging overnight temperatures and possible snow showers. Showers will break out today as low pressure intensifies rapidly on its way to Pennsylvania and this storm will push an intense cold front towards the DC metro region. Temperatures will spike ahead of the front and a line of strong-to-severe thunderstorms is likely to form by late in the afternoon as the frontal system approaches the I-95 corridor. Any storm that develops later today can contain damaging wind gusts and brief heavy rainfall. In fact, unstable atmospheric conditions later today could warrant tornado watches to be implemented by NOAA for parts of the Mid-Atlantic region; especially, south of the PA/MD border.

Once the front clears the region later this evening, temperatures will plunge and rain showers could changeover to snow showers. While little or no snow accumulation is expected, some icy spots can form on roadways as temperatures nose-dive to below freezing levels in the overnight hours. Winds will howl late tonight and tomorrow from a northwesterly direction with gusts possible of up to 50 mph through the night and up to 40 mph for much of the day on Thursday. Temperatures tomorrow will be held to near freezing for highs - rather amazingly low levels for this time of year - despite the return of sunshine. Looking ahead, after a mild start to the weekend, colder air will move into the Mid-Atlantic region on Sunday. At the same time, moisture will be building in the Southeast U.S. and snow is indeed a threat around here in the Sunday night/Monday time frame.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/sXR5KTEABBs