Weekend forecast: Rain and possibly snow on the way Saturday for DC area

The good news is Friday will be dry and average for the D.C. area. The bad news is Saturday won’t be, and the forecast calls for rain and even possibly some snow.

Storm Team4 meteorologist Chuck Bell said to expect rain starting before sunrise Saturday.

Then, a cold front “will reach D.C. around 9 a.m. Saturday with moderate rain falling,” Bell said. Wind becomes the next concern, with gusts up to 50 mph possible from noon until the evening.



“Temperatures will plunge from near 50 at sunrise to well below freezing by sunset,” Bell said. He warned that as the temperatures fall into the mid 30s Saturday afternoon, there could be some mixing with, or changeover to, sleet or snow.

If snow does fall, it’s not expected to amount to much — a coating to an inch will be possible for most of the area. But Bell said the next worry will be the dangerously low wind chills and a hard freeze Saturday night.

“Any residual moisture left on roads will turn to ice, so some Sunday morning slick spots are likely.  Wind chills will be in the 10s Saturday evening and in the single numbers by Sunday morning,” Bell said.

As if the weekend couldn’t get crummier, here’s a final note: You’re going to lose an hour of sleep because this is also the weekend you move the clocks forward one hour when going to bed Saturday night.

Thanks, Daylight Saving Time.

Radar

Forecast

THURSDAY: Clouds clearing, partly sunny and warmer.
HIGHS: Upper 40s to mid 50s

THURSDAY OVERNIGHT: Mostly clear and chilly.
LOWS: Low 30s

FRIDAY: A nice day. Mostly sunny and mild.
HIGHS: Low 60s

SATURDAY: Cooling temperatures and chance for rain. Very cold later in the evening with gusty winds up to 50 mph.
HIGHS: Mid 40s to low 50, then teens and 20s overnight

SUNDAY: A Plenty of sunshine and cooler.
HIGHS: Mid 40s

Will Vitka

William Vitka is a Digital Writer/Editor for WTOP.com. He's been in the news industry for over a decade. Before joining WTOP, he worked for CBS News, Stuff Magazine, The New York Post and wrote a variety of books—about a dozen of them, with more to come.

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