Rain, Warm Temps Forecast For VA, DC Until New Year's Holiday

WASHINGTON, DC — After a mild Christmas weekend, temperatures will warm from the low 50s to the 60s by Thursday in Maryland before temperatures drop into the 40s during the day and low 30s at night. Expect rain daily Tuesday through Friday, the National Weather Service said.

The average temperature in the DC area for December is 47 degrees, the NWS said. Most of the month has been well above that.

Saturday brought a high of 49 degrees to Northern Virginia and DC, while Christmas Eve warmed to 51. Christmas Day saw a high temperature of 61 degrees — 14 degrees above average, according to The Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang.

The heaviest rain comes Tuesday night and Wednesday, the Post predicts. Much of the region may pick up another 1 to 2 inches of rain overall this week.

"The final weekend of 2023 trends drier, colder and sunnier. Highs each day should reach the 40s to near 50 under partly to mostly sunny skies," the Capital Weather Gang said. "Mostly clear Saturday night as lows drop back to the mid-20s to low 30s. An early look at Sunday night, New Year’s Eve, looks mostly clear with evening temperatures falling into the 30s and overnight lows in the mid-20s to mid-30s."

The next couple of days will bring a lot of clouds and continued rain chances. However, this is to come with a gradual warmup through Thursday, before temps fall into the holiday weekend, the National Weather Service said. "Snow showers are possible each day over the Alleghenies starting late Thursday."

AccuWeather meteorologists say the latest round of damp and mild weather that made it a green Christmas for many comes thanks to a storm track over the center of the country that is pumping mild and moist air into the region. This same storm threatens to unleash a blizzard across part of the northern Plains into Tuesday.

"The far-reaching storm will slowly inch its way east into the mid-Atlantic on Tuesday and then New England by later Wednesday, bringing a return of steadier rain with continued mild weather," Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said.

Here's the latest National Weather Service forecast for the DC/Northern Virginia region:

Tuesday: Scattered showers, mainly before 4pm. Cloudy, with a high near 51. East wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Tuesday Night: Rain. Low around 47. East wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Wednesday: Rain. High near 57. East wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Wednesday Night: A chance of showers before 10pm, then a chance of rain, mainly between 10pm and 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming light and variable. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Thursday: A slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 58. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Thursday Night: A chance of showers, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Friday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 52. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Friday Night: A chance of showers before 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 40. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 48.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 33.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 48.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 33.

New Year's Day: Partly sunny, with a high near 46.