Northern Virginia Weather: Snow Threat Looms After Christmas

STERLING, VA—Following an uneventful weekend with mild conditions, Northern Virginia residents should expect more of the same for "Christmas Week," as it were. That's the word from the National Weather Service and other area forecasting outlets. Not until Friday does rain enter the picture, with a threat of the white stuff shortly thereafter.

In the meantime, consider this missive from the Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang: "Well, it's another year without a white Christmas around here. If we can't have snow, it might as well be sunny and seasonable, and that's what we'll get." Sunday, however, may bring snow.

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

Tonight: Showers likely, mainly before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. South wind around 6 mph becoming light and variable. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45. Northwest wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 31. Northwest wind 6 to 9 mph.

Christmas Day: Partly sunny, with a high near 42. Northwest wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the afternoon.

Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. Calm wind.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 46.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 32.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45.

Thursday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Friday: Rain likely. Cloudy, with a high near 58. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Friday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 56.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 37.

Sunday: A chance of rain and snow. Partly sunny, with a high near 40. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

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