WASHINGTON — The new workweek will start off with mainly clear skies and some areas of fog, thanks still in part to all the low-level humidity and the moist ground from the “cutoff low” we wrote about last week.
It’s the storm system that brought us all the rain last week and this past weekend. That system has now sheared out and rejoined the jet stream steering winds, and high pressure will build in during the day on Monday, continuing the drying trend. Dew point temperatures will drop into the 50s on Monday, making it feel very comfortable when combined with seasonably warm high temperatures in the low to mid 70s.
The high pressure system will depart Monday night, sprawling up into New England and becoming a giant block for the eastern seaboard. Storminess will develop in the Rockies and the middle of the country in the form of a cold front. Our winds will be off the ocean on Tuesday, increasing the chance for low clouds and drizzle, especially east of Interstate 95.
Wednesday through Friday will also have an easterly flow, but a bit more variability in wind direction may make for more sunshine than at other times. By Thursday and Friday, we will likely see some very high altitude cirrus clouds on the periphery of Hurricane Matthew. The center of the storm at that time will be near the coast of the Carolinas. If we get any direct effects from the hurricane other than clouds, it wouldn’t occur until Friday at the earliest.
Other than the drizzle on the easterly flow, there is not a lot of chance for rain this week.
Daily weather highlights
MONDAY
• Morning patchy fog, especially in river valleys and near the Chesapeake Bay
• Mostly sunny skies with just fair weather clouds
• Decreasing humidity throughout the day
• Highs close to our averages for this time of year, in the low to mid 70s
TUESDAY
• Morning low clouds and some fog
• East of D.C., some drizzle will be possible
• Temperatures still close to average
WEDNESDAY
• Mostly cloudy, only peeks of sun
• Chance for more drizzle, especially east of D.C.
• Highs below average
THURSDAY & FRIDAY
• A mix of high-level and low-level clouds
• Feeling a little more humid and more uncomfortable
• Highs a little above average, back into the low 70s
• Tracking the hurricane very closely for possible rains and breezes here in D.C. area
• Cold front may bring a few showers on Friday regardless of the hurricane
Editor’s note: The WTOP Workweek Weather Blog is intended as an in-depth yet plain language summary of the business week’s weather potential in the D.C. area along with an explanation of the contingencies and uncertainties that exist at the time of publication. For the latest actual Storm Team 4 Forecast, check out the WTOP Weather Page.