Capital Weather Gang - DC area weather blog, news - February 28, 2010

Forecast: Sunny Saturday and Sunday

For the first time since January (14-16), we have a chance to put together a string of 50-degree days. In fact, at the least the next four days could hit 50 or better, something we haven't seen since the beginning of December. Accompanying the milder weather will be abundant sunshine and relatively light winds. After a long, cold, windy, and snowy winter, this reprieve is well-deserved...

By Jason Samenow | March 6, 2010; 3:00 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (23)
Categories: Forecasts
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PM Update: Making way for a pleasant weekend

Despite plenty of clouds throughout the day, temperatures have again risen to near-average levels this afternoon with highs around 50 many spots. Tomorrow will be the start of a several day stretch with lots of sun and warmer readings eventually climbing well into the 50s.

By Ian Livingston | March 5, 2010; 3:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Forecasts
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Tracking the South Pole's 'puzzling' temperatures

2009 warmest year on record despite overall cooling * Here come the 50s: Full Forecast | Varying predictability of snow * CWG's Ann Posegate was part of a group of journalists selected by the National Science Foundation to travel to Antarctica in January and report on weather, climate and environmental...

By Ann Posegate | March 5, 2010; 11:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: International Weather, Posegate
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Forecast: Warming trend hits stride this weekend

Breezes diminish day-by-day as highs warm past 50 * D.C.'s is a climate to relish | Snow season over? | CWG T-Shirts! * * Clouds & more: Weather Wall | 1 month 'til Opening Day NatCast * Today's Daily Digit A somewhat subjective rating of the day's weather, on a scale...

By Camden Walker | March 5, 2010; 11:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (30)
Categories: Forecasts
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PM Update: Chilly breezes continue

Plentiful sunshine helped temperatures rise back toward average today, but we're still a bit below normal highs around and above 50. Today's highs in the mid-and-upper 40s have felt a little chilly thanks to a continued northwest wind, but warmer readings are expected by the weekend.

By Ian Livingston | March 4, 2010; 3:15 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Forecasts
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Believe it or not, D.C.'s is a climate to relish

* Warm-up coming: Full Forecast | Snow season over? | CWG T-Shirts! * It's been a rough winter for many. Photo submitted to washingtonpost.com gallery by dbking85. Clearly, for many of you who have had to deal with roof collapses, ice dams and power outages, not to mention scores of...

By Don Lipman | March 4, 2010; 11:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (32)
Categories: Lipman, Local Climate
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Forecast: A couple cool days before the warm-up

Today we will still be dealing with the cool and breezy aftermath of the little coastal system that essentially blanked us in the snow department. It is all uphill from here, though. By Saturday and especially Sunday, spring fever will be in full gear. Parks will be full of people and pets, all happy to have days finally breaking through the 50-degree barrier that has been in place since late January -- never mind the nasty snow piles.

By Jason Samenow | March 4, 2010; 8:40 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (18)
Categories: Forecasts
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PM Update: Some showers into this evening

Slight warming tomorrow, nicer toward the weekend * Snow season over? | Varying predictability of snow | CWG T-Shirts! * * Outside now? Radar, webcam & more: Weather Wall * The "storm that couldn't" decided it would still try today as some leftover energy creates light rain and drizzle across...

By Ian Livingston | March 3, 2010; 4:20 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (15)
Categories: Forecasts
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Cherry blossom bloom: Make your prediction

In keeping with Cherry Blossom Festival tradition, the U.S. Park Service's chief horticulturalist on Thursday morning will announce his prediction for the 2010 peak bloom period. Check the Going Out Guide blog for his announcement. Take our poll and make your prediction, and may the best cherry blossom fanatic win!...

By Meghan Louttit | March 3, 2010; 3:42 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Cherry Blossoms, Nature
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Is the snow season over?

So we've had a record-breaking 56" of snow this winter, but no more than 0.1" has fallen since February 10. More characteristic of the D.C. region, snowfall opportunities that emerged during the last two coastal storms fizzled. Snow drought, anybody?

By Jason Samenow | March 3, 2010; 11:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (31)
Categories: Local Climate
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Forecast: Patchy snow & rain before warm-up

It's too early in March to call today's light snow winter's last gasp. At the very least, though, today will be the last truly wintry day we see for a while.

By Dan Stillman | March 3, 2010; 11:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (34)
Categories: Forecasts
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Sloppy snow and rain mostly not sticking

Light snow, mixed rain and snow (in the District and south and east), and drizzle continue falling in the metro region. With temperatures mainly in the mid-30s, very little snow is sticking, except in grassy/shaded areas in the far north and west suburbs (upper Montgomery county and Loudoun county). Places where it's raining should see a transition to mostly snow after midnight.

By Jason Samenow | March 2, 2010; 11:00 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Updates
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PM Update: Storm gets closer. Close enough?

We're watching a storm beginning to move up the East Coast and even with just a few hours till start time around here, some questions remain. The storm has trended closer and wetter both in ground observations and model guidance, which gives growing confidence of more impact on the area.

By Ian Livingston | March 2, 2010; 3:45 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (64)
Categories: Forecasts
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The varying predictability of snowstorms

Any snow lover (or hater) can probably recall surprise "no snowstorms" - false alarms when a virtual guarantee of heavy snowfall is predicted within 24 hours or so which turn out to be complete busts. Needless to say, whether a surprise snowstorm or surprise no snowstorm, the inevitable results are red-faced forecasters and media outlets eating "humble pie" and blaming busts, not always justifiably, on "THE models."

By Steve Tracton | March 2, 2010; 11:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (59)
Categories: Education, Local Climate, Science, Snowmageddon, Tracton, Winter Storms
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Forecast: A mix of wet & white from ocean storm

Last week, the storm mostly missed us to the north and this week a storm will largely miss us to the south and east. This latest close call will mainly result in nuisance precipitation that should not prevent travel- only slow it a bit due to wet roadways and limited visibilities from light precipitation. Our cold air supply will be marginal, so that any snow accumulations on roadway surfaces will be minimal, though we could see a coating on grassy areas Tuesday night or Wednesday morning. Below normal temperatures will follow our near-miss storm, but I do see signs of milder March-like weather by the weekend!

By Matt Rogers | March 2, 2010; 9:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (48)
Categories: Forecasts
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PM Update: Calm before the near-miss storm?

Brunt of midweek storm still looks to stay south and east * Midweek storm? SLCB | New England "bomb" | CWG T-Shirts! * * Bob Ryan's farewell at 4 | Winter by the numbers | Md. snow record * Meteorological spring began today with temperatures right around average as highs...

By Ian Livingston | March 1, 2010; 3:30 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (44)
Categories: Forecasts
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Meteorological bomb explodes over New England

The intense storm of late last week (which is still lashing parts of New England and Nova Scotia) will long be remembered as well, except by people who reside a bit farther north than the nation's capital.

By Andrew Freedman | March 1, 2010; 12:30 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Freedman, News & Notes, Science
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Under-the-radar goodbye for Bob Ryan at 4

No hoopla, no sentimental retrospective. Just an emotional but low-key, couple-minute segment at the end of Friday night's newscast, pushed to after midnight by Olympic coverage. Such was the NBC4 farewell for Bob Ryan.

By Dan Stillman | March 1, 2010; 10:45 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (59)
Categories: Media
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Forecast: March begins with shot at 50-degree day

During February, we only managed 1 50-degree day. We have a good shot at matching that number on March's first day. While today's "warmth" may seem like a sure sign of spring, we sink right back down into the 40s and colder for most of the work week -- not to mention the chance of some snow tomorrow night into Wednesday.

By Jason Samenow | March 1, 2010; 10:45 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (20)
Categories: Forecasts
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Tues. night snow chances remain suspect

For the last couple of days, we've talked about how the Tuesday night storm is likely to just miss us, spoiling the opportunity to add to our record-setting snow season. That's still the case. At the same time, we remain reluctant to entirely rule out the possibility of a more significant snowfall.

By Jason Samenow | March 1, 2010; 5:00 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (17)
Categories: Snow Lover's Crystal Ball
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Forecast: Calm days before next storm chance

We seem to have found a pretty consistent pattern these past weeks. A few nice days, followed by the threat of another snowstorm to get the weather world all abuzz. That pattern will repeat this week. Mostly cloudy skies today will give way to a mostly sunny tomorrow as temperatures climb back closer to where we should be this time of year. Keep it here though as there's still that chance (albeit small) for more snow as meteorological spring (which starts March 1) gets going.

By Brian Jackson | February 28, 2010; 5:00 PM ET | Permalink | Comments (31)
Categories: Forecasts
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March threatens to begin like a lion

More likely to start like a temperamental lamb... * A couple calm days before next storm chance: Full Forecast * Next Chance of Accumulating Snow: Late Tuesday evening/Wednesday Probability of Accumulating Snow (1" or more): 45% Here we go again! This winter will not go quietly into March and leave...

By Brian Jackson | February 28, 2010; 10:30 AM ET | Permalink | Comments (37)
Categories: Snow Lover's Crystal Ball
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Capital Weather Gang: February 28, 2010 - March 6, 2010