Northern Virginia Weather: Hazardous Outlook Issued

STERLING, VA—Our spate of welcome dryness is about to end, and the National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for Northern Virginia: "Rain may cause localized flooding of small streams and low lying urban areas (Thursday night)." On top of that, there's a flood watch from 5 a.m. Friday through 1 a.m. Saturday.

Come Friday, as predicted by the Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang: "Rains are mainly light, but occasional waves of downpours are likely, especially in the afternoon. Rain amounts should total an inch by day’s end, and some spots could easily see two inches."

So there you go. Here's the detailed forecast from the National Weather Service:

Thursday Night: Rain, mainly after 8pm. Low around 42. Southeast wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Friday: Rain. High near 59. Southeast wind 5 to 8 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Friday Night: Rain likely before 8pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 47. Southwest wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 52. Northwest wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 35. Northwest wind 5 to 8 mph.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 43.

Sunday Night: A chance of rain after 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Monday: Rain likely, mainly after 8am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 49. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Monday Night: Rain. Low around 44. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

New Year's Day: Rain, mainly before 8am. High near 57. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Tuesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Wednesday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 43. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Wednesday Night: A chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday: A chance of rain and snow. Mostly sunny, with a high near 38. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

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