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After humid conditions, rain could be on the way

By Lauryn Ricketts

WASHINGTON — Those living in the D.C. area are used to muggy summers with hot and hazy conditions.

So far this week, though, there haven’t been any thunderstorms to offset the humidity.

That might change Wednesday.

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At 2 a.m. Wednesday, a cold front is just to the north and west of the WTOP listening area.

After we burn off some patchy fog in the morning, a cold front will slip through the region on Wednesday and clear the area by late evening.

Once again, daytime temperatures will be on the warm side, approaching the 90- degree mark and staying in the upper-80s due to increasing cloud cover throughout the day. It will be pretty humid throughout the day.

However, as the cold front passes through the region, there is a 30 to 40 percent chance that some thunderstorms will develop throughout the afternoon and evening hours.

Don’t expect a widespread event or severe weather; the usual triggers — instability in the atmosphere and wind shear — should be on the low side for Wednesday. We’ll have some moisture to work with in the atmosphere, so we might see short-lived storms that could bring quick downpours. We could always use some rain the D.C. region.

Good news: We’re not nearly as drought-stricken as we usually are at this time. However, both BWI and Dulles airports saw precipitation deficits for the month of July.

Dulles had 2.09″ of rain in July, down from an average of 3.67″, and BWI had 2.80″ of rain in July, down from an average of 4.07″. DCA was at a surplus of rain measuring +0.95″.

Interesting note: At these airports, most of the rain fell in the first 15 days of July; the second half of July was mostly dry.

I do not believe everyone will see rain tomorrow, but it would be nice to get some. The next chance of rain is late Saturday leading into Sunday.

Until then, we’re looking at a trend that seems all too familiar for this summer – – a few days of hot and humid air, followed by a few days of below normal temperatures and low humidity.

The low humidity arrives Thursday with clearing skies. Temperatures on Thursday and Friday will be slightly below normal.

So if you are headed to FedEx Field for the Redskins first preseason game: enjoy! Great weather for the start of football season!

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Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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