4 things to know about the weather:
- Mild, dry Saturday
- Weather Alert Sunday: 1-3 inches of widespread heavy rain, wind.
- Rain to snow late Sunday to early Monday
- In the city, Sunday snow on grassy surfaces and a few impacts to the north and west
This Sunday will be a Storm Team4 Weather Alert day!
Strong winds and heavy rain will cause significant travel delays and could lead to urban flooding and flooding in areas with poor drainage (I spent two hours blowing leaves out of gutters and drains on Thursday. You should inspect yours today to ensure they're clear).
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The rain and wind won't start until early Sunday morning, so Saturday is a great day to secure loose outdoor decorations, trashcans and the like.
Wind gusts near 35 mph are likely from the South on Sunday and the Northwest on Monday. Those inflatable Santas are going to need a lot of extra support – or deflation.
Saturday will be just fine. A mix of clouds and sunshine, not too much wind and afternoon highs reaching the mid-50s, which is just a few degrees above average now.
Sunday rain forecast
Weather
Latest weather forecast, live radar and weather maps for Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia
The storm traveling through the Plains on Friday arrives here on Sunday. This is not your run-of-the-mill December storm. This one is loaded with warm air, moisture and wind.
Temperatures will climb into the low to mid-60s by noon on Sunday and stay there well past sunset. South winds will be near 10 mph Sunday morning but gusting over 35 mph all Sunday afternoon and night.
Light rain will arrive Sunday morning. Heavy rain, with even a few embedded thunderstorms, is likely from roughly noon through midnight.
Rainfall rates could exceed 1 inch per hour at times.
Any drains that are not completely clear will quickly go under and flooding will begin.
Weather radar:
Download the NBC Washington app on Apple and Android to use the weather radar on your mobile device.
A cold front is expected to come through the area between midnight and sunrise Monday morning. The wind will turn to the northwest but remain just as strong, gusting to 35-45 mph.
The rain will taper off quickly behind the front and be mostly over by the Monday morning commute.
Monday afternoon will be sunny, windy and cold with wind chills near freezing all day. The rest of next week will be cold and quiet.
10-Day Forecast:
Quickcast:
TODAY:
Increasing Clouds | Mild
HIGHS: Upper 50s
TONIGHT:
Scattered Showers
Temps: 40s/50s
SUNDAY:
Rainy, Windy And Mild
Showers By Sunrise
Heavy Rain By Evening
Rainfall: 1"-2" Likely
Gusty Wind: South 20-35 mph
Chance Of Rain: 100%
HIGHS: Lower 60s
MONDAY:
EARLY – Rain to SNOW with Minor Accumulations
Sunny p.m.
HIGHS: 40s
TUESDAY:
Mostly Sunny | Cold
HIGHS: Middle 40s
Sunrise 7:15 | Sunset 4:45
Average High: 50° Average Low: 36°
