WASHINGTON — So we’ve had a roller coaster week for temperatures. On Tuesday, it was 80 degrees; by Saturday, some regions won’t make it out of the 40s. We have quite an atmospheric set-up as we head to the end of this work week and the weekend, so hold on to your hats, we’re in for a windy ride.
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A deep upper level area of low pressure (a “Manitoba Mauler” from the Canadian province of Manitoba) and its cold front will shoot down from the Great Lakes region Friday and continue to trek through the Appalachian Mountains. Canadian high pressure will aid in the movement of the upper level low. Through early Saturday, that area of low pressure will transfer its energy off the coast of North Carolina to a developing coastal low.
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So for Halloween, we’re just watching that initial area of low pressure and its attendant cold front move closer to the Washington D.C. region. I have a feeling that some showers will get going through the late evening hours (after 8 p.m.) in the Shenandoah Valley. Eventually, after midnight, showers will spread east past the Blue Ridge Mountains. So expect increasing clouds on Friday ahead of that cold front with showers to the west after about 8 p.m.
Trick or Treating around the D.C. area should be dry (that is until after midnight when chances of rain increase).
Saturday is a different story. If you’re headed to any area college football games (Maryland at Penn State, TCU at WVU, Boston College at Virginia Tech or the night game at FedEX as Navy hosts Notre Dame) — it is going to be cold!
Temperatures on Saturday with on and off spotty rain showers will only top out in the upper 40s to lower 50s. However, winds will increase after 10 a.m. on Saturday to around 10 to 15 mph. As we head through the early afternoon and into the evening hours, winds will increase 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. By the evening hours (after around 7 p.m.), wind chills will end up in the 30s.
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This is a look at wind speeds off the eastern seaboard after midnight on Saturday.
Winds will continue to be strong over the course of Sunday. However, we will get some sunshine back on Sunday as high pressure builds in. Temperatures on Sunday will only top out in the upper 40s for most spots. With the wind, it will feel much cooler!
However, this cold spell won’t last too long. As we head into the next work week, we will gradually warm up into the lower to mid 60s by Wednesday.
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