Capital Weather Gang - DC area weather blog, news - March 15, 2009

Forecast: Spring Time Sunshine

* Wildest Temperature Swings | Tell Time Like a Meteorologist * * Bob Ryan, Brian Valentine, and others exchange thoughts on climate * EXPRESS FORECAST Today: Partly to mostly sunny. 50-55. | Tonight: Clear. 31-36. | Tomorrow: Partly sunny. 60-64. | A Look Ahead FORECAST IN DETAIL Our weekend weather...

By Jason Samenow | March 21, 2009; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Forecasts
Save & Share:

PM Update: Warm-Up Waits for Weekend

Into the 50s Saturday and 60s on Sunday * Wildest Temperature Swings | Tell Time Like a Meteorologist * Partly sunny skies and cool temperatures ushered in spring today. Despite abundant sun, highs were limited to the mid-to-upper 40s, thanks to a north wind gusting over 20 mph that helped...

By Ian Livingston | March 20, 2009; 4:20 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Forecasts
Save & Share:

The Wildest Temperature Swings

* Sunny Weekend: Full Forecast | How Meteorologists Tell Time * You may remember my post from about 10 days ago when I documented some of our greatest March temperature swings. In that post, I showed that earlier in the month we experienced the biggest 5-day rise in maximum temperature...

By Jason Samenow | March 20, 2009; 12:45 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Local Climate
Save & Share:

How to Tell Time Like a Meteorologist

You, Too, Can Predict the Weather A weather observation isn't very useful without knowing what time it was made, nor is a forecast map very helpful without knowing what time the forecast is for. So before we start looking at all those meteorological maps and numbers, we'd be wise to...

By Dan Stillman | March 20, 2009; 10:15 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: You, Too, Can Predict the Weather
Save & Share:

Forecast: Sun and Slowly Rising Temperatures

Spring starts cool today before weekend warmup * Photos: A Ghostly Fog | Later: You, Too, Can Predict the Weather * * Bob Ryan Challenged on Climate (Ryan, challenger exchange comments) * EXPRESS FORECAST Today: Becoming partly to mostly sunny. Upper 40s. | Tonight: Mostly clear. 27-33. | Tomorrow: Partly...

By Camden Walker | March 20, 2009; 9:20 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Forecasts
Save & Share:

PM Update: Winter Departs on Chilly Note

Spring arrives Friday, but temperatures stay cold * Photos: A Ghostly Fog | AccuWeather Hurricane Outlook * The warmth of yesterday was replaced by clouds, some light rain and cooling temperatures today. Highs reached the mid-to-upper 50s this morning prior to the rain and cold front passage. Rainfall totals have...

By Ian Livingston | March 19, 2009; 3:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Forecasts
Save & Share:

A Ghostly Fog

* Sun to Return Soon: Full Forecast | AccuWeather's Hurricane Outlook * A ghostly form drifts across Arlington National Cemetery Wednesday morning. A ghostly apparition slowly drifted across Arlington National Cemetery early Wednesday morning as the day's first light appeared from the east. The ghostly form paused, swirled upward, then...

By Kevin Ambrose | March 19, 2009; 12:30 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Photography
Save & Share:

AccuWeather's Bastardi Issues Hurricane Outlook

*Showery and turning cooler: Full Forecast * It's hard to believe, but hurricane season is a mere 10 weeks away. Leading up to the June 1 start date, a number of organizations will release seasonal outlooks. Yesterday, AccuWeather got things started, releasing Chief Hurricane Forecaster Joe Bastardi's 2009 take on...

By Jason Samenow | March 19, 2009; 10:15 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Tropical Weather
Save & Share:

Forecast: Showery Today; Dry Weather Thereafter

Cooler today and Friday; moderating by weekend * Potholes in Paradise | Bob Ryan Challenged to Climate Debate (Note exchange between Ryan and challenger Brian Valentine in the comment area...) * * Later: AccuWeather's Hurricane Outlook and Fog Photography * EXPRESS FORECAST Today: Cloudy & showery. Mid-to-upper 50s. | Tonight:...

By Josh Larson | March 19, 2009; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Forecasts
Save & Share:

PM Update: Warmth Wanes Tomorrow

Showery Thursday ahead of cold front moving through * Another Pothole in Paradise | Iditarod: The Last Great Race * Clouds and fog, the story of the last week, finally gave up control today around noon. The story of today? Sunshine and warmth. Temperatures have soared from midday readings near...

By Ian Livingston | March 18, 2009; 3:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Forecasts
Save & Share:

Another Pothole in Paradise

Wx and the City * Will Today's Warmth Last? Our Full Forecast | The Iditarod * A driver's worst enemy -- a pothole. Courtesy D.C. Department of Transportation. As CWG's Ian Livingston noted last week, the D.C. Department of Transportation began on March 11 a month-long crusade to fill the...

By Ann Posegate | March 18, 2009; 11:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (4)
Categories: Posegate, Wx and the City
Save & Share:

Forecast: Warmth is Back After a Week's Wait

Nice today after morning fog; light showers tomorrow * Bob Ryan Challenged to Climate Debate | Later: D.C. Potholes * EXPRESS FORECAST Today: Morning fog, then partly to mostly sunny. Upper 60s. | Tonight: Increasing clouds. Shower chance toward morning. Upper 40s to near 50. | Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy. On-and-off...

By Dan Stillman | March 18, 2009; 9:10 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (6)
Categories: Forecasts
Save & Share:

PM Update: Clouds Break for Nice Wednesday

Midweek spring preview with temperatures near 70 * Iditarod: Last Great Race | Bob Ryan Challenged to Climate Debate * Today featured more cloudiness across the area, but breaks of sunshine are gradually spreading as the marine air mass gives up its fight (finally). Temperatures have been held back by...

By Ian Livingston | March 17, 2009; 3:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Forecasts
Save & Share:

The Iditarod: The Last Great Race on Earth

* Warm-up Underway: Full Forecast * Image courtesy Iditarod.com Several years ago I was lucky enough to see the beginning of the annual Iditarod sled dog race in Anchorage. I say lucky because I just happened to be staying in Anchorage (during a visit to the National Weather Service Alaska...

By Steve Tracton | March 17, 2009; 12:30 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Tracton, U.S. Weather
Save & Share:

Bob Ryan Challenged to Climate Change Debate

NBC 4 Chief Meteorologist Bob Ryan, who recently wrote a lengthy online series of articles on global climate change that was covered here, has earned praise from a prominent environmentalist, and scorn from a Department of Energy worker who challenged Ryan to a climate science debate in a forum of...

By Andrew Freedman | March 17, 2009; 10:15 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (167)
Categories: Climate Change, Freedman, News & Notes
Save & Share:

Forecast: Sun Slowly Returns for St. Patrick's Day

But warmest day of week is Wednesday * Heartland Institute Criticizes CWG on Climate * * Later: Bob Ryan Challenged to Debate | The Iditarod Dog Sled Race * EXPRESS FORECAST Today: AM clouds, PM sun at times. 50-54. | Tonight: Mostly clear. 38-42. | Tomorrow: Partly sunny, warm. 68-72....

By Matt Rogers | March 17, 2009; 9:40 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Forecasts
Save & Share:

PM Update: More Light Rain Before Sun Returns

Clouds to break by Tuesday afternoon; Warm Wednesday * Heartland Institute Criticizes CWG's Climate Post | 1993 Superstorm * Cloud fans remain happy as the sun stayed away for another day, but that's all about to come to en end, even if only temporarily. With a continued flow off the...

By Ian Livingston | March 16, 2009; 3:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Forecasts
Save & Share:

Heartland Institute Criticizes CWG's Climate Post

* And Yet Another Gray Day: Full Forecast * In response to my March 11 story "Dueling Climate Meetings Aim to Steer Policy," the Capital Weather Gang (CWG) received the following message from Joseph Bast, the president of the Chicago-based Heartland Institute, which is a free-market think tank. Last week,...

By Andrew Freedman | March 16, 2009; 10:30 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (49)
Categories: Climate Change, Freedman, News & Notes, Science
Save & Share:

Forecast: A Case of the Clouds

* Later: Heartland Institute Criticizes CWG Climate Coverage * EXPRESS FORECAST Today: Cloudy, chance of p.m. showers. 45-49. | Tonight: Early showers, remaining cloudy. 36-40 Tomorrow: Cloudy, then slow clearing. 51-55. | A Look Ahead FORECAST IN DETAIL Since last Tuesday, daytime sky conditions at Reagan National Airport have varied...

By Jason Samenow | March 16, 2009; 10:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Forecasts
Save & Share:

Forecast: Lost in the Mist

EXPRESS FORECAST Today: Cloudy, occasional showers. 45-48 | Tonight: Cloudy, drizzle. 34-38. | Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy, afternoon showers. 48-51. | A Look Ahead FORECAST IN DETAIL Well, we're stuck in a somewhat unpleasant pattern for the time being I'm sorry to say. A stationary front to our south isn't going...

By Brian Jackson | March 15, 2009; 1:20 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Forecasts
Save & Share:

Network News

Capital Weather Gang: March 15, 2009 - March 21, 2009