D.C.-area forecast: Morning fog and drizzle, with a mild three days on the way

Below-average chill briefly visits us Sunday night into Monday. A few snowflakes are possible.

Forecast in detail

Mild conditions end the year. Warmer, still, as we start the new one. We’ve got an outside chance of tying the January 1 record of 69 degrees for Washington. Rain chances and clouds accompany much of the mild-to-warm weather over the next three days but that may come to an end, (with snowflakes finally?) late Sunday night as cold air catapults in.

New Year’s Eve (Friday): Any morning dense fog and drizzle slowly eases. Sunshine may only give us some peeks later in the afternoon. High temperatures should be able to manage the mild 57-62 degree range, despite clouds reigning strong. Light southerly winds may gust above 15 mph late day. Confidence: Medium-High

Tonight: Clouds may continue to hang around and a few sprinkles or a shower cannot be ruled out, especially post-midnight as 2022 begins. Late night temperatures should generally hover near 50 to mid-50s. Combined with the hint of mugginess, it’s going to feel notably above-average and not as it should feel as we near the typically coldest time of the year. Confidence: Medium-High

New Year’s Day (Saturday): Showery with light rain possible at times. Afternoon may be the highest chance for dryness, as it appears now. Temperatures climb from already-mild levels, mugginess builds with dew points nearing 60 degrees, as we top out in the 62-69 degree range. Could we tie our record high of 69 degrees for the date? Light southerly breezes may slowly build through the day toward moderate levels. Confidence: Medium-High

Tomorrow night: Some more light rain and showers are likely. Muggy low temperatures may only fall into the mid-50s to around 60 degrees. Confidence: Medium

Sunday: Sunshine should show itself a bit more, but we may stay fairly cloudy at times. As a front passes in the midday a few showers may pop up. High temperatures should get into the mid-60s again, with some upper 60s possible (but we should stay below our record high of 71 degrees for the date). West-northwest winds could be moderate at times but this isn’t certain. Confidence: Medium

A look ahead
Sunday night: Temperatures may drop about 30 degrees from daytime readings, ending up in the low to mid-30s by dawn. As rain shower chances persist, precipitation may mix with or turn to all snowflakes at times nearer dawn. Accumulation, if any, is likely to be light and may target the area along and east-southeast of Interstate 95 as a low pressure develops along the front. Confidence: Medium

Any early snowflakes quickly exit as sunshine and chillier air returns Monday and Tuesday. Gusty northwesterly winds Monday add some extra chill to already-cold high temperatures in the mid-30s to around 40 degrees. Breezes and chilliness on Tuesday ease (toward average levels for early January) with high temperatures aiming for the mid- to upper 40s. Stay tuned for small forecast tweaks possible as we get closer. Confidence: Medium

Snow potential index
A daily assessment of the potential for at least 1 inch of snow in the next week, on a 0-10 scale.

1/10 (→ : If timing is perfect on Sunday night, raindrops may end as snowflakes. Very light accumulations — if any — likelier south and east of town.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/12/31/dc-area-forecast-morning-fog-drizzle-with-mild-three-days-way/?