Capital Weather Gang - DC area weather blog, news - August 24, 2008

Category 4 Gustav Heads for Gulf

U.S. landfall expected late Monday or early Tuesday Forecast track for Hurricane Gustav as of 11 a.m. today from the National Hurricane Center. Yesterday was the third anniversary of Hurricane Katrina's landfall along the Louisiana-Mississippi coast. And it is with that memory in mind that preprations are taking place today...

By Dan Stillman | August 30, 2008; 1:50 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (36)
Categories: Tropical Weather
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Forecast: Shower Chance Saturday, Sunny Sunday

Lovely Labor Day Over the last several days, the metro area picked up roughly 0.7-1.2" of much-needed rain - with locally higher amounts. Today, we get one last chance to reduce the August rainfall deficit. But unless we receive a completely unexpected deluge, today's widely scattered showers won't close the...

By Jason Samenow | August 30, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Forecasts
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UnitedCast: Clouds Should Clear

United vs. New York Red BullsTonight, 7:30 p.m., RFK Stadium KickoffFinal WhistleWeatherChance of Rain76F73FClearing15%With the cold front in our week, any rain should end before the game. Look for decreasing clouds and temperatures generally in the mid 70s. UnitedCast appears on the day of every United home game....

By Jason Samenow | August 30, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: UnitedCast
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NatCast: Probably Pleasant

Nationals vs. BravesTonight, 7:10 p.m., Nationals Park First Pitch9th InningWeatherChance of Rain77F74FDecreasing Clouds20% Any shower activity should end very early in the game or before it starts. Temperatures should generally be in the mid-to-upper 70s. NatCast appears on the day of every Nationals home game. Also, see our...

By Jason Samenow | August 30, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NatCast
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Gustav on the Brink of Explosive Development

Gustav satellite image at 11 a.m. Courtesy NOAA. 6:00 p.m. update: Gustav continues to intensify and is now a hurricane. Additional strengthening is likely over the next day or so. Chief meteorologist Jeff Masters at Wunderground advises: "It's Time to Leave New Orleans"... From earlier: Over the past 48 hours...

By Jason Samenow | August 29, 2008; 6:00 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (146)
Categories: Tropical Weather
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PM Update: Gray Skies and Damp Conditions

Warmer Saturday, still unsettled Another cloudy and damp day has unfolded across the region. Most of the heavier showers are now departing the area to the northeast, but some spotty rain and drizzle is still possible this afternoon and evening. High temperatures are ranging from the upper 60s to mid...

By Ian Livingston | August 29, 2008; 3:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Forecasts
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Forecast: Dank & Damp Giving Way to Delightful

Partly to mostly cloudy skies along with a chance of showers and storms will pester us through Saturday night. A pesky easterly flow keeping it dismal at times today into tomorrow morning. But fortunes change on Sunday. We turn back on the sunshine, warmer temperatures and lower humidity. Here's to...

By Camden Walker | August 29, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Forecasts
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BeachCast: Suspect Start to Holiday, Strong Finish

Labor Day Weekend at the Delaware and Maryland beaches will be neither a washout nor a scorcher. Instead, it'll be marked by a cloudy and cool start today and early tomorrow, followed by a warmer, sunny finish come Sunday and Monday. Keep reading for the BeachCast details. Also, see our...

By Dan Stillman | August 29, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Beachcast
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Natcast: Mild, Humid with a Chance of Showers

Nationals vs. BravesTonight, 7:35 p.m., Nationals Park First Pitch9th InningWeatherChance of Rain75F72FCloudy with shower?20% Skies are likely to stay overcast, humidity moderate and temperatures cool. Slight chance of a shower, too. NatCast appears on the day of every Nationals home game. Also, see our full forecast through early...

By Camden Walker | August 29, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NatCast
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Cool Tools for 'Canes

By Ann Posegate "How strong is a hurricane? Just listen." Besides reconnaissance flights and ocean buoys, there may be potential to measure the strength of hurricanes by listening to their sound deep under the ocean surface. Leave it to MIT to develop underwater microphones (hydrophones) that make it "possible to...

By Jason Samenow | August 28, 2008; 6:30 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Education, Tropical Weather
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PM Update: Isolated Showers, Continued Cool

Warmer, some sun on Friday Clouds and rain that dominated much of the morning have let up a bit this afternoon as some showers continue to dot the area, especially across western sections. Highs have reached the upper 60s and low 70s thus far, and some more warming is possible...

By Ian Livingston | August 28, 2008; 3:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Forecasts
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When Hurricane Carol Came Calling

I've been a weather nut for as long as I can remember (could you tell?). I recall -- with some reminding by my parents -- becoming overly excited at the age of five or six by snowstorms. I saw my fair share of them growing up in Brockton, Mass., about...

By Steve Tracton | August 28, 2008; 1:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Tracton, Tropical Weather
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Gustav Grows Again; Hello Hanna

Satellite image of tropical storms Gustav (left) and Hanna (right). Courtesy NOAA After taking a serious beating over mountainous Haiti, Gustav has recovered remarkably over the deep, warm waters of the northwest Caribbean. In 12 hours, it has strengthened from minimal tropical storm to near-hurricane intensity. While intensifying, Gustav shifted...

By Jason Samenow | August 28, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (14)
Categories: Tropical Weather
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Forecast: Overcast, Showery End to the Week

More sun, warmer weather expected this weekend With the area of low pressure related to the remnants of Fay spinning to our south and west, we can expect plenty of clouds over the next 36 hours along with periodic showers -- especially to the west of DC. However, this precipitation...

By Josh Larson | August 28, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (13)
Categories: Forecasts
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SkinsCast: Cool With Decreasing Shower Chances

Updated: 4:40 p.m. Redskins vs. Jaguars (Preseason)Thursday, 7 p.m., FedEx Field Kickoff2-Min WarningWeatherChance of Precip.69F66FMostly Cloudy45%The chance of showers will be diminishing this evening, but still a few light showers or drizzle is a possibility, so you may want an umbrella on hand just in case. It'll be rather cool,...

By Dan Stillman | August 28, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: SkinsCast
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NatCast: To Rain or Not to Rain

Update: 4:45 p.m. Nationals vs. DodgersTonight, 7:10 p.m., Nationals Park First Pitch9th InningWeatherChance of Rain72F69FCloudy; showers?45%Precipitation chances will be decreasing this evening, but some light showers or drizzle may still be around, so you might want to have the umbrella just in case. You'll definitely want a light jacket considering...

By Josh Larson | August 28, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NatCast
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PM Update: Showers to Finally Arrive?

More clouds, chance of showers, Thursday Cloudy, cool conditions continue today as highs reach the mid-to-upper 70s downtown and to the north and east, and low-to-mid 70s south and west of town. The rainy remnants of Tropical Storm Fay have lurked to the south and west all day, but so...

By Ian Livingston | August 27, 2008; 3:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (21)
Categories: Forecasts
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Free Radicals! (and Lung Cancer)

Wx and the City By Ann Posegate Free radicals! Free radicals! No, I'm not talking about the 100+ protestors who were arrested outside the Democratic National Convention in Denver on Monday. I'm referring to atoms and molecules that can cause lung cancer. As if we didn't have enough environmental health...

By Capital Weather Gang | August 27, 2008; 1:00 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Posegate, Science, Wx and the City
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Gustav: Katrina Reincarnated?

One model projection on August 31, 2008 for Gustav (left, courtesy Penn State). A satellite image of Hurricane Katrina on August 28, 2005 (right, courtesy NASA). For the record, it is much too early to speculate about where Tropical Storm Gustav -- which at 11 a.m. was west of Haiti...

By Jason Samenow | August 27, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (33)
Categories: Tropical Weather
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Forecast: Will Fay Fulfill Forecast Fantasy?

Fantasy Forecast: The remnants of Fay bring gentle, soaking rains today and tomorrow, wiping out this month's precipitation shortfall -- so far this August, National Airport has seen only 20% of its typical rainfall. Then, sunshine and comfortable warmth take hold for Friday and the holiday weekend. Oh, you want...

By Dan Stillman | August 27, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (18)
Categories: Forecasts
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NatCast: Kinda Cool ... Showers?

Updated: 3:25 p.m. Nationals vs. DodgersTonight, 7:10 p.m., Nationals Park First Pitch9th InningWeatherChance of Rain73F69FMostly Cloudy40%Some light showers are possible but not definite. Steadier, heavier rain capable of forcing a delay or rain out is unlikey. NatCast appears on the day of every Nationals home game. Also, see our...

By Dan Stillman | August 27, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NatCast
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PM Update: Cool and Somewhat Cloudy

Increasing odds of showers Wednesday Cooler and drier air has settled into the area for the time being, and highs in the upper 70s to near 80 today are more comparable to averages for mid-September. Cloudiness that held tough through much of the morning has broken a bit this afternoon....

By Ian Livingston | August 26, 2008; 3:30 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Forecasts
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Gustav Could Become a Giant

Gustav officially became a hurricane early this morning, and its eye made landfall on the southwest peninsula of Haiti shortly after 1 p.m. At 2 p.m., Gustav was a Category 1 storm with maximum sustained winds near 90 mph. Hype about this storm is already buzzing around the blogosphere... The...

By Jason Samenow | August 26, 2008; 2:00 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (116)
Categories: Tropical Weather
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McCain, Obama: No More 'Wishy-Washy' Forecasts

Presumptive nominees unite; weather forecasters worried DO-I-HAVE-TO-DECIDE '08 DENVER, Aug. 25 -- In an unprecedented show of campaign bipartisanship, Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama unveiled Monday a joint plan to do away with "wishy-washy" weather forecasts on TV, radio and the Internet. Speaking together at the Democratic National Convention,...

By Dan Stillman | August 26, 2008; 10:45 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Humor
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Forecast: A Winning Ticket -- Sun and Rain?

Nice today, then after a long delay, the remnants of Fay Yes, today is forecast to be a wonderful addition to our week with low humidity, cool northerly breezes, highs only near 80, and partly sunny skies. But the big item on the agenda is a chance to snap the...

By Matt Rogers | August 26, 2008; 10:30 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Forecasts
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NatCast: Nice Night

Nationals vs. PhilliesTonight, 7:10 p.m., Nationals Park First Pitch9th InningWeatherChance of Rain86F78FWarm summer night5% Weather will not be an impediment as Nats go for second win against Phils. NatCast appears on the day of every Nationals home game. Also, see our full forecast through the weekend....

By Matt Rogers | August 26, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: NatCast
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PM Update: Heat Today, Gone Tomorrow

September-like conditions return Tuesday Under variable clouds today, temperatures have risen into the upper 80s and low 90s across the area. This is day 28 of 90 degrees or higher at National Airport, very near our June-August average. For the rest of the afternoon, skies will stay partly to mostly...

By Ian Livingston | August 25, 2008; 3:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (10)
Categories: Forecasts
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Freedman: Coalition Advises Candidates on Climate

A coalition of earth science organizations representing thousands of scientists recently did something that you don't often see scientists do: they publicly united to deliver a challenge to political leaders in the midst of a heated political season. By calling for weather and climate research to be a higher priority...

By Andrew Freedman | August 25, 2008; 10:30 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Climate Change, Freedman, Government
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Forecast: Rain Chances Ramp Up

Our 10-day dry streak has a one-in-three chance of ending today when a passing cold front possibly scatters some afternoon showers and thunderstorms in the metro region. If we don't manage to receive any rain today, odds increase Wednesday-Friday as Fay's remnants may gradually drift into our area. The way...

By Jason Samenow | August 25, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Forecasts
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Photography: Williamsburg Weather

A Williamsburg windmill on a bright, sunny morning last week. Colonial Virginians depended on local mills to grind grain to make their bread. Williamsburg is a great place to visit if you love history, golf, and roller coasters, and it has been one of my favorite vacation spots for years....

By Kevin Ambrose | August 24, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Photography
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Forecast: Dry and Warm Doldrums

Rainy change on the horizon? By Brian Jackson While it's more of the same dry weather today, we may find some meaningful rain in our future. Tropical moisture, from the remnants of Fay, will likely hitch a ride along some upper level winds and head our way Wednesday into Thursday....

By Brian Jackson | August 24, 2008; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Forecasts
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Capital Weather Gang: August 24, 2008 - August 30, 2008