March is known for some wild swings in the weather, and this one looks like it will not disappoint. Temperatures peaked at record-breaking levels on Tuesday in the Mid-Atlantic region and included the earliest observation of 80 degrees in New York City’s Central Park. Severe weather broke out on Tuesday afternoon and evening across the Upper Midwest with tornadoes reported across parts of Illinois and Indiana and severe thunderstorms will be possible today from the Mid-Atlantic region and Ohio Valley to the Lower Mississippi Valley and again tornadoes will be on the table. A strong cold front pushes through the Mid-Atlantic region early Thursday and there is the chance that rain can mix with or change to snow in parts of the area by the late morning or midday hours following right on the heels of the record-breaking warmth…small accumulations of a coating to an inch or two cannot be ruled out.
Over the weekend, another strong cold front will enter the picture across the nation’s midsection with a widespread colder-than-normal air mass on its backside and charging to the south and east. A strong storm system is likely to form along the frontal boundary zone as upper-level support arrives, and the Great Lakes may end up with an all-out blizzard come late Sunday into Monday with plenty of snow and powerful winds. In fact, there can be accumulating snow and strong winds in this same Great Lakes region on Friday from a clipper-system and this would just be an appetizer for the potential late weekend blizzard. The widespread colder-than-normal air mass reaches the eastern states by late Monday and the 20’s and 30’s will be commonplace in the Mid-Atlantic region by the time we get to next Tuesday for afternoon highs...a far cry from the past couple of days. Looking ahead, as is often the case during the month of March, the early-to-mid week cold snap in the eastern states may change dramatically to much milder conditions by the end of next week and yes, this wild weather pattern can flip again with yet another widespread cold air outbreak later in the month.
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A significant severe weather threat exists for later today and tonight in the region from the southern Plains to the Upper Midwest and this risk which includes possible tornadoes will shift east later tomorrow to an area that extends from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the Mid-Atlantic region. Numerous ingredients are coming together for this severe weather threat including a powerful surface cold front, warm and humid air in place, waves of energy aloft in both the northern and southern jet streams, and an incoming colder-than-normal air mass. After possible record-breaking warmth during the next two days in the Mid-Atlantic region, it’ll turn much cooler for Thursday and Friday following the passage of the strong cold front, and a widespread colder-than-normal air mass will push into the eastern states early next week.
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The overall weather pattern remains quite active across the continental US, and it is the time of year for thunderstorm activity to become more prevalent compared to recent weeks. In fact, there can be some thunderstorm activity in the Mid-Atlantic region later tonight as a strong upper-level disturbance passes through the area and heavy downpours are on the table. On Friday, there is an enhanced risk of severe weather across the nation’s mid-section including the threat of tornadoes as a strong upper-level trough ejects northeastward from the southwestern states along with its associated powerful jet streak.
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After a very mild day on Saturday, a strong cold front passed through the Mid-Atlantic region on Sunday and ushered in a much colder-than-normal air mass for the early part of the new work week. The cold front has dropped just to the south of the area and low pressure will ride along the boundary zone today and snow is likely in the DC metro region this afternoon with some accumulations. By tonight, the dominant precipitation type in the DC metro region will be freezing rain and this could last into the early morning hours on Tuesday. Farther north, precipitation is likely to hold off in the Philly metro region until around daybreak on Tuesday and freezing rain will likely be the dominate precipitation through the morning hours. Watch for slick spots in both metro regions before a changeover to plain rain and above-freezing temperatures.
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An active weather pattern brought a clipper system to the north of the Mid-Atlantic on Wednesday and another low-pressure is sliding to the south of the region today with little or no impact. A strong Arctic cold front will arrive in the Mid-Atlantic region on Sunday, and it can produce some snow shower activity; especially, to the north of the PA/MD border. Weak low-pressure will push into the Mid-Atlantic region on Monday and it could produce some snow with fresh Arctic air in place. Yet another low pressure could quickly follow on Monday night and Tuesday with some rain, ice and/or snow possible. Once that early week Arctic air mass retreats to the north, a big-time warmup should begin late next week/weekend in the Mid-Atlantic region with a taste of spring on the way.
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An active weather pattern brought a clipper system to the north of the Mid-Atlantic region today with a bit of snow in some areas just in time for the morning commute. Another low-pressure system will take the southern route on Thursday, and some snow and/or rain will be possible in the DC-to-Philly-to-NYC corridor. Another low-pressure system (or two) can impact the Mid-Atlantic region during the early and middle parts of next week and with strong, cold high pressure stationed to the north, frozen precipitation is favored with accumulating snow on the table in some areas.
Looking beyond the early-to-mid week winter weather threats, a noticeable warmup is likely to take place in the Mid-Atlantic region by the end of next week and the warmup can very well last through the second week of March. In fact, temperatures could climb into the 60’s by late next week in portions of the southern Mid-Atlantic region (e.g., Washington, D.C.) and the 50’s are possible in the northern Mid-Atlantic (e.g., Philly, NYC) and it could turn even milder than that during the second week of March. This potential warmup may not be the end of the colder-than-normal weather; however, as there are strong signs for another significant stratospheric warming event to take place by late next week. This potential polar vortex split can bring a return of colder-than-normal weather conditions to the eastern states from around the middle of March to the middle of April.
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Running for his third presidential term, Franklin Roosevelt made a 1940 campaign promise to allow for the training of African American military pilots. In cooperation with the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama which was founded by Booker T. Washington in 1881, the Army created a program in 1941 to induct and train what would eventually amount to more than 14,000 airmen, of whom about 1,000 would become pilots; the others became navigators, bombardiers, radio operators, administrators, support personnel - and some became weathermen.
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What may become known as the “Blizzard of 2026” to many in the eastern Mid-Atlantic region begins rather innocuously this morning with plain rain and above freezing temperatures in some areas and a mixture of rain and snow is likely soon in other locations. However, precipitation will change over to all snow by later in the day in most areas, become heavy at times early tonight, and continue into mid-day Monday – a long duration event. In fact, the snow could fall heavy enough tonight in the eastern Mid-Atlantic region to produce 2+ inches per hour and “thundersnow” is on the table. Snowfall amounts in the eastern Mid-Atlantic will become significant with a foot or more in many areas. The DC metro region will escape the significant snowfall amounts coming to the eastern Mid-Atlantic, but at least a few inches are on the table in the nation’s capital. Winds will become a big factor by later tonight and continue strong on Monday resulting in blowing and drifting of snow during the latter stages of the storm. On the heels of the storm, a very cold air mass will flood the eastern US for the first half of the new week.
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Major winter storm to slam much of the Mid-Atlantic region…
All-out blizzard conditions in many areas…
Low pressure will intensify rapidly later tomorrow as it pushes slowly northward just off the Mid-Atlantic coastline, and it is going to produce substantial snowfall in some areas and powerful winds as well especially along coastal sections. The precipitation in the DC-to-Philly-to-NYC corridor will begin on Sunday morning as plain rain in some areas, a mixture of rain and snow in others, but all areas will feature a changeover to snow by later Sunday. The snow is likely to fall heavily at times from Sunday evening into mid-day Monday, leading to big-time travel disruptions for the Monday commutes in many areas. On the heels of the storm, a very cold air mass will flood much of the eastern US during the early part of next week.
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A significant snowstorm for the DC-to-Philly-to-NYC corridor…
Low pressure will intensify rapidly later Sunday over the western Atlantic Ocean, and it is very likely to produce accumulating snow in the DC-to-Philly-to-NYC corridor with significant amounts of 6-12+ inches on the table. The precipitation may begin as rain or a mix of rain and snow on Sunday morning/midday before changing to all snow by later in the day and the snow can come down heavily at times from late Sunday into Monday morning…potentially leading to big-time travel disruptions for the Monday morning commute. The storm will intensify rapidly as upper-level support takes on a “negative tilt” and enhances upward motion at surface levels in the Mid-Atlantic region. The possibility of a significant snow event in the Mid-Atlantic’s I-95 corridor will largely depend on the ultimate track of the storm with a “hugging” of the coast more favorable for highest accumulation amounts…this scenario is looking increasingly likely. Farther up the I-95 corridor, a significant snowstorm is also quite likely across southern and eastern New England including the Boston metro. On the heels of the storm, a very cold air mass will flood much of the eastern US during the early part of next week.
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