WASHINGTON — Hello, spring in February! I hope you enjoy the warm weather because temperatures on Tuesday shattered the previous record highs and warmer-than-average temperatures are on tap for Wednesday, too.
It wasn’t even close: The record high for Tuesday’s date in D.C. was 64, set in 1887 and 2008; the high at Reagan National was 73. At BWI-Marshall, the record was 64; Tuesday, it hit 72. Dulles also hit 72, breaking its record of 65 set in 2009.
Record-breaking highs on Wednesday will probably prove more difficult, but temperatures will still likely to reach the mid-60s before a cold, wet blast of winter returns Thursday.
While we will have to deal with a little rain from time to time, we will have plenty of opportunities to get out and enjoy some dry, warm winter weather — that is before a chance of snow arrives on Thursday morning.
High pressure off the coast and a warm front has lifted north of the region, placing the mid-Atlantic in a very warm sector. We saw some sun Tuesday but also a lot of cloud cover. Still, temperatures throughout the mid-Atlantic broke through previous records, especially around the WTOP area.
By Wednesday, a cold front will pass through the area; however, temperatures will still manage to make it into the 60s!
Wednesday daytime high records will be a little more difficult to break. But there is always a chance!
| Feb. 8 | Record high | NBC Forecast High Wednesday | Record Warm Low |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCA | |||
| BWI | |||
| IAD |
That front will stall to the south as an area of low pressure rides along it. Cold air will filter into the area late on Wednesday and into Thursday. Temperatures will crash on Wednesday night, falling into the mid to upper 40s by midnight and into the 30s by daybreak on Thursday. As an area of low pressure nears our region, rain will begin to fall — most likely after 8 or 9 p.m. on Wednesday night.
As temperatures fall, rain could turn to wet snow. There is a chance we could have a prolonged period of snow falling across the region bringing some slushy accumulation to portions of the area. This is something we will watch for Thursday morning. Stay tuned for more details on the chance for snow. But let’s concentrate on the springlike warmth for now, right?
