7:00 AM | **Downpours tonight with possible strong-to-severe thunderstorms and wind gusts to 50+ mph as powerful cold front arrives**
Paul Dorian
6-Day forecast for the Washington, D.C. metro region
Today
Mainly cloudy, unusually warm, windy, occasional showers, but some rain-free time as well, highs in the low-to-mid 70’s
Tonight
Mainly cloudy, windy, occasional rain and possible thunderstorms, some of the rain will be heavy, some of the storms can reach strong-to-severe levels with damaging wind gusts to 50+ mph, mild early then turning sharply colder late with lows in the mid-to-upper 40’s
Friday
Much cooler with mainly sunny skies, windy, mid-to-upper 50’s for afternoon highs
Friday Night
Mainly clear, cold, diminishing winds, late night lows in the low-to-mid 30’s
Saturday
Mainly sunny, chilly, mid 50’s
Sunday
Mainly sunny, even colder, lower 50’s; widespread freeze likely late at night
Monday
Mainly sunny, still cool, mid 50’s
Tuesday
Partly sunny, a bit milder, chance of late day or nighttime showers, near 60 degrees
Discussion
Today will be an unusually warm day for the end of October with windy conditions and occasional showers although there will be much rain-free time as well. A powerful cold front will slowly push in our direction today from the Ohio Valley and a squall line is likely to form along its boundary zone late in the afternoon extending in a north-to-south fashion from central NY-to-central PA-to-western Virginia. This squall line will arrive here late this evening bringing us heavy downpours, possible strong-to-severe thunderstorms, and wind gusts to 50+ mph. The most likely timetable for this Halloween Night wild weather is between the hours of 8PM and 2AM. Power outages are on the table as many leaves remain on trees which makes them more vulnerable than say a month from now. Behind the front, winds will turn to a west-to-northwest direction and can gust past 40 mph towards Friday daybreak. It'll turn much cooler late tonight and for Friday and then an even colder air mass will arrive on Sunday leading to the first widespread freeze around here late Sunday night/early Monday.
Meteorologist Paul Dorian
Perspecta, Inc.
perspectaweather.com