4 things to know about the weather:

1: The Cold Returns

2: Bone Dry Today & Thursday

3: Friday Snow Chance Increasing

Weather

winter storm Jan 20

DC Area Braces for Freezing Cold, Wind Chills in the Teens

winter storm 22 hours ago

Tracking a Deep Freeze, Then Weekend Snow Chances in DC Area

4: Powerful Ocean Storm Saturday

It might be only Wednesday but with the cold air back and another snow chance arriving on Friday there is a lot of work left to do this week. Let's start with the easy part. Today, tonight and tomorrow will be bitter cold. Sunny and breezy today with highs struggling to get above 30° and wind chills staying below 20°. The wind will go nearly calm overnight which will eliminate the wind chill concern but it will also allow temperatures to fall even further. Most of the DC Metro area will see temperatures between 10-15° on Thursday morning. The sheltered valleys and more rural areas could easily drop to near 0°. Thursday afternoon will also be generally sunny and slightly less cold, with highs in the low 30s. On Friday 2 different weather systems will begin to phase together. A cold front rapidly crossing the Great Lakes will approach us from the Northwest. At the same time, and area of low pressure will be deepening of the Carolinas and moving up the Coast. These will phase together to produce a massive ocean storm that will be near our latitude by Saturday morning. How far to our East the center of the storm passes will be the key to predicting snow totals. As of now, the DC Metro is on the far Western edge of the snow shield. This would leave us with flurries and light snow Friday evening and the chance for accumulations into Saturday morning. Expectation for snow in our area are generally in the 1" to 4" range. Not a blockbuster event but enough to shovel. Areas to our East and North are likely to get much higher amounts. Ocean City, MD and Rehoboth Beach, DE could end up with 6" to 12" and Boston, MA could end up well over 12". No matter the amount of snow we get on Saturday, you should be prepared for a ferocious wind and bitter cold. Temps mid 20s and wind chills near 10° on Saturday afternoon. Temps in the 10s and wind chills near 0° Saturday night. Sunday will be sunny, breezy and cold with highs back near 30°.

TODAY:
Mostly Sunny
Breezy, Bitter Cold
Daytime Chills: 10s
Chance Of Snow: 0%
Wind: Northwest 10-18 mph
HIGHS: 28° - 32°

TONIGHT:
Mainly Clear
Bitter Cold
Light Breeze
Chance Of Snow: 0%
Wind: Northwest 3-6 mph
LOWS: 10°- 16°

THURSDAY
Mostly Sunny
Staying Cold
Daytime Chills: Mid 20s
Chance Of Snow: 0%
Wind: South 4-8 mph
HIGHS: 32°- 38°

FRIDAY:
Cloudy And Cold
Afternoon Flurries
Snow By Evening
Chance Of Snow: 60%
Wind: South 3-6 mph
HIGHS: 32°- 38°

SATURDAY:
Snow In The Morning
Accumulations 1-3" Possible
Becoming Very Windy, Cold
Chance Of Snow: 60%
Wind: Northwest 18-28 mph
HIGHS: 25° - 30°

Sunrise: 7:19 Sunset: 5:23
Average High: 45° Average Low: 30°