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Muggy week, but a ‘wait and see’ game for the weekend

By Lauryn Ricketts

WASHINGTON — If you like cloudy, muggy and gloomy weather then this week is your week. Fortunately, temperatures will be held at bay, only reaching into the lower to mid-80s for daytime highs Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

But the humidity will continue to stream into the WTOP listening area as the region is wedged between an area of high pressure to the north and an area of high pressure to the southwest.

Take a peek at the graphic below.

␎ tuesdayweather.jpg

(Courtesy of The National Weather Service Baltimore-Washington)

A frontal boundary will continue to drape across our region as it meanders in the vicinity of central Virginia and the D.C. metro area at least through Thursday. That frontal boundary will be the main force for any showers or small thunderstorms that pop up around the region Tuesday afternoon. This generally means any rain that pops up will be around the stationary front, getting caught up in our easterly flow, and preside mainly just south of the Washington D.C. metro area on Tuesday.

Unfortunately, since there is so much moisture and no element moving these cells along quickly, there could be isolated downpours. Good news is that I don’t anticipate any widespread severe weather for Tuesday evening into Tuesday night.

␎ tuesdayweather2.jpg

The frontal boundary is just to the south of Washington, D.C. on Tuesday afternoon, draped across Fredericksburg through Southern Maryland and back to the west around the Eastern West Virginia Panhandle.

If you are headed out to Nats Park today, just know it will be a little on the steamy side. But I do believe we’ll remain dry. Plenty of clouds will stick around through the duration of the game as temperatures drop through the 70s. There could even be some areas of fog that form while you make your way home from the stadium.

␎ tuesdayweather3.jpg

(Lauryn Ricketts/WJLA)

Overnight temperatures will only fall to around 70 degrees in most locations and warm back up into the mid-80s again tomorrow. There could be a few peeks of sunshine again tomorrow but an upper level low, diving out of the northwest, will head this way.

A piece of energy out in front of that low will move into the region Wednesday afternoon through Wednesday evening. This means we have a good chance to see some showers and thunderstorms around the listening area.

Most of the activity will die off in the evening hours as we lose our heating from the day but there is a about a 20 percent chance that a few showers or storms could linger into the late evening hours leading into Thursday.

By Thursday morning, that upper level low (reference the first graphic from the National Weather Service for more information on the upper level low) will be nearing our area, crossing through during Thursday afternoon and Thursday evening. That will bring us yet another chance of some showers and thunderstorms. This time, there is about at 50 percent chance of scattered showers and thunderstorms around the region on Thursday.

The best chance for a good, soaking rain comes on Thursday but all in all expect less than a 1 inch from Tuesday through Thursday night. This will be good, especially if you have found yourself sniffling a little through the weekend and into the first part of this week. Around the D.C. region mold, grasses and weed pollen are all running a little on the elevated side. So it will be good to get some rain to wash that away.

␎ tuesdayweather4.jpg

QPF or Quantitative Precipitation Forecast shows 1 inch or less of rain accumulation around the WTOP listening area from Tuesday through early Friday morning. (NOAA)

Due to the rain that we received through the first half of August, we are well above our normal averages for rain during the summer (June – Aug. 19) at Reagan National Airport as well as Baltimore-Washington Airport. In fact, the rain that fell on Tuesday, Aug. 12 put BWI 4.38 inches above their normal rainfall amount for the summer. Dulles International Airport could still use some rain however, as they are behind a little above 1.5 inches for rain accumulation for the summer months.

And while we are at it, to be completely honest, I’m still not sold on keeping dry from Friday through the weekend. I’ve continued to have it dry in my forecast for the last two days but I believe it’s going to be a “wait and see” game to know if the pattern sticks through Friday and into the weekend, or to see if high pressure can edge out bringing some more pleasant conditions.

Either way, we will keep an eye on it for you and let you know as the picture becomes more clear.

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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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