It won’t warm up much Monday as a stretch of frigid days lingers in the D.C. area, keeping temperatures below-average for weeks.
Highs are only expected to reach the low 30s Monday afternoon after the day started out with bone-chilling temperatures in the teens.
“Plenty of sunshine to start the week but a very cold Arctic air mass continues over the mid-Atlantic and the northeast,” 7News First Alert Meteorologist Jordan Evans said.
Wind chills were in the single digits Monday morning, freezing over some leftover snow and leaving some slick spots on roads during the morning commute.
“Anyone spending time outside today will need gloves or mittens and breathing into a scarf or neck gaiter will help keep your heat in,” WTOP’s Neal Augenstein reported from Fairfax County.
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When will the cold stretch end?
It will be dry and cold all day Monday with afternoon high temperatures well below average, in the upper 20s to low 30s. Many neighborhoods will stay below freezing all day long, according to 7News First Meteorologist Eileen Whelan.
Expect another bitterly cold night Monday with lows in the teens in the suburbs to low 20s downtown, Whelan said. Those temperatures could make for some ice and frost.
Northwest winds will blow through at 10 to 15 mph, and gusts could reach as high as 25 mph.
“We’ll start to see those winds change direction and that’s going to help us out tomorrow with higher temperatures approaching 40 for your Tuesday,” Evans said.
Temperatures will finally climb back above freezing by Tuesday.
While afternoon highs will reach the low to mid 40s, it will remain colder than the average high for this time of December, which is 49 degrees.
On Wednesday, afternoon highs will climb above average for the first time since the day before Thanksgiving, Whelan said. Highs are expected to be in the mid-50s with a light breeze.
On Thursday, temperatures are expected to stay mild with highs in the 50s. Though blustery winds are expected to return as well, bringing gusts up to 20 mph.
Icy start
On the roads, 7News First Alert Meteorologist Mark Peña recommended paying attention to slippery bridges, overpasses, and exit and entrance ramps Monday morning. Leftover snow, slush and ice from Sunday left those roads slick in some spots.
Peña said many school systems in the D.C. area played the “better safe than sorry,” card Monday and delayed their start times by two hours.
Transportation agencies urged drivers and pedestrians to use extreme caution, especially on secondary roads and sidewalks, where snow and ice may linger.
WTOP’s Neal Augenstein traveled to Fairfax County early Monday morning.
“You’ll want to get out to your icy car a few minutes early and let your defroster and heater do the heavy lifting, because it would take a lot of effort to chip away with your ice scraper,” Augenstein said.
Augenstein said main commuter routes were cleared of any snow, but icy conditions remained on sidewalks and surfaces that were wet from Sunday’s snow.
“That means walking to your car and getting out of a subdivision can be the riskiest part of your commute,” he said.
FORECAST
MONDAY:
Partly sunny
Highs: 28-34
Wind Chill: 20s
Winds: Northwest 10-15 mph
Gusts: 20-25 mph
TUESDAY:
Mostly sunny
Highs: 32-36
Winds: West 5-10 mph
WEDNESDAY:
Partly cloudy
Highs: 47-52
Winds: West 5 mph
CURRENT CONDITIONS
WTOP’s Jessica Kronzer contributed to this report.
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