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DC area faces coldest winter day yet, possibility of weekend snow

Tuesday is among the coldest days of winter so far, as D.C.-area residents woke up to wind chills near zero and are facing afternoon temperatures that aren’t climbing above freezing.

The chilly weather is here to stay Tuesday. Highs will reach only the upper 20s and evening lows will fall between 10 and 20, as winds back off.

During the day, the wind chill is making temperatures feel like they’re in the 10s.

Eventually, the temperatures will warm up a bit. Wednesday will start chilly with wind chills in the teens and 20s. Mostly sunny skies will help bring afternoon highs into the low 40s.

Thursday is forecast to be the warmest day of the week, with highs climbing into the middle to upper 40s, under partly cloudy skies.

“Not a long lasting cold this week, but once we get to this weekend upcoming and the weekend after that it will be certainly some weather we’re going to have to keep an eye on,” National Weather Service Meteorologist Chris Strong said.

This weekend will be the first chance of a double digit snowstorm in the D.C. region since January 2016, Strong said.

According to NWS, weather models that provide forecasts suggest that Saturday night into Sunday evening could bring several inches of snow, although nothing is certain.



FORECAST

TUESDAY: Sunny. Highs between 25 and 29, with wind chills in the single-digits and teens.
Winds: West 10-20 mph

TUESDAY NIGHT: COLD ALERT: Clear. Lows between 10 and 20.
Winds: Northwest 10 mph

WEDNESDAY: Mostly sunny. Highs between 38 and 44.
Winds: South 10-20 mph

THURSDAY: Partly cloudy. Highs between 42 and 46.
Winds: Northwest 10-20 mph

FRIDAY: Partly cloudy. Highs between 36 and 42.
Winds: South 5-10 mph

CURRENT CONDITIONS

Unhealthy air in DC region with smoky skies from Canadian wildfires

Air quality in the D.C. region is very poor Friday, as plumes of smoke blown down from Canadian wildfires make for hazy skies that reek. A code purple air quality alert has been issued for the D.C. area and the Baltimore area, meaning that the level of air pollution is unhealthy for everyone, especially those with health issues, according to the National Weather Service. It's strongly recommended that you limit your time outside so that you don't get exposed to the heat and smoke. The thick smoke in the sky Friday is similar to what happened during the summer of 2023 when the region was under code red, purple and maroon alerts, according to 7News First Alert Meteorologist Eileen Whelan.
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