Capital Weather Gang

Forecast: Drizzly but not terrible for travel today

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 05:00:30 -0500

Temporarily drier for Thanksgiving; A gusty Black Friday * See winning photo contest pics | Climate email scandal interviews * * Radar, temps, clouds & more: Weather Wall | Travel updates * EXPRESS FORECAST Today: Mostly cloudy. Periods of drizzle/occasional shower. Mid-to-upper 50s. | Tonight: Partly cloudy. Late-night fog/mist. Low-to-mid 40s. | Tomorrow: Partly to mostly cloudy. Chance of late-day showers. Upper 50s to near 60. | A Look Ahead | Get Express Forecast by E-mail FORECAST IN DETAIL With no major storm affecting the mid-Atlantic or Northeast, today shouldn't be such a terrible travel day for those heading toward or away from D.C., be it on I-95, I-270/I-70, I-66/I-81 or Rt. 50. That said, more of that pesky drizzle -- and some light showers, especially along I-95 from Baltimore to New York -- could slow things down. The drizzle breaks for Thanksgiving Day, though showers may return by evening.

PM Update: Damp for Thanksgiving getaway

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:15:44 -0500

Periods of drizzle and a shower or two on Wednesday * Photo contest winners | Climate scientist criticizes skeptics, press * * Outside now? Radar, temps & more: Weather Wall | Traffic * Our cloudy and damp stretch is two days strong now and is not ready to let up quite yet. After rain continued into last night, today has been drier by comparison, but areas of drizzle have plagued much of the region throughout. Highs mainly in the low-to-mid 50s are right around average for this time of year. Winds from the north and east will help keep drizzle or light showers in the forecast at least into tomorrow afternoon. Webcam: Latest view of D.C. from the Netherlands Carillon at Arlington National Cemetery. Courtesy National Park Service. Refresh page to update. See this image bigger on our Weather Wall. Through Tonight: If you like clouds and periods of drizzle,

Climate scientist criticizes skeptics, press

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 12:15:30 -0500

* Thanksgiving weather? Full Forecast | See photo contest winners * The climate science email scandal known to some as "climategate" continues to reverberate throughout the climate science and policy communities. Since the story broke late last week that the University of East Anglia's servers had been hacked into, spilling hundreds of personal emails between prominent climate scientists onto the Web, scientists and political leaders have been weighing in on the significance of the information contained in the emails. Reporters and bloggers have been combing through the emails, which have motivated staunch climate skeptic Senator James Inhofe (R-Okla.) to call for an investigation of the Nobel Peace Prize-winning U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). In one of the messages, Phil Jones, who heads up Britain's government-run Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research, alluded to a "trick" that a colleague performed to analyze historical temperature data. For more background

2009 CWG photo contest: Top 10 picks

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:00:30 -0500

Wx and the City * Drizzly for Thanksgiving getaway: Full Forecast | Climate scandal * One of this year's top 10 photo picks. Key Bridge in the fog. Taken by Bill Jonscher in December 2008. The results are in for Capital Weather Gang's 2009 annual photo contest. It was a tough decision. We received 59 submissions, which depicted four seasons and many types of weather from cities, the countryside and coasts throughout our region. Some were scientifically interesting; others were aesthetically pleasing; all showed an appreciation of the sky. Thanks to everyone who participated! Keep reading for rest of the Gang's top 10 picks. To view all submissions, visit our photo gallery.

Forecast: Cloudy & cool conditions continue

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:00:00 -0500

Drizzle chances thru tomorrow, Thanksgiving showers? * Science historian on climate scandal | Weather Wall * * Later: Another scientist on climate scandal * EXPRESS FORECAST Today: Morning drizzle/light rain. Mostly cloudy afternoon. 51-55. | Tonight: Mostly cloudy, some drizzle possible, especially late. 43-47 | Wednesday: More clouds, some drizzle. 55-59. | A Look Ahead | Get Express Forecast by E-mail FORECAST IN DETAIL November has been chock full of clouds and onshore (from the east) flow with plenty of moisture. In fact, 10 of the 23 days of November so far have seen onshore flow in the region. This week is offering us a lot more of that. Look for clouds and drizzle this morning, perhaps a break this afternoon and evening, and then more chances tonight and Wednesday. And Thanksgiving? Well, it should be our warmest day of the week, but showers are still possible (sorry). Radar: Latest

PM Update: Work week off to wet start

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:15:21 -0500

Rainy into evening; Patchy drizzle on Tuesday * Science historian on climate e-mails | Cruising the Atlantic * * Outside now? Radar, temps & more: Weather Wall | Traffic * As Jason Samenow mentioned this morning, we're back into a damp and dreary stretch, and it looks like it lasts most of the week. Cloudy skies of this morning eventually brought light rain to much of the area, which will continue at times into the evening. Highs near 50 occurred late morning most spots before rain knocked pretty much everyone back into the upper 40s. A wind from the north and east has added to the rawness by lowering wind chills near 40 at times. Radar: Latest regional radar shows movement of precipitation over past three hours. Powered by HAMweather. Refresh page to update. Click here or on image to enlarge. Or see radar bigger on our Weather Wall. Through

Science historian reacts to hacked climate e-mails

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:00:15 -0500

* Damp Thanksgiving week: Full Forecast | Cruising the Atlantic * A scandal erupted in the world of climate science late last week after anonymous hackers posted years worth of selected private email correspondence between a handful of prominent climate scientists. The emails were stolen from a server at the University of East Anglia's Climate Research Unit in Britain. Climate skeptics -- those who either doubt the mainstream consensus that Earth has warmed during the past century or who doubt human influence is the primary cause of any warming -- have seized upon the contents of the emails as evidence that mainstream climate scientists have been involved in a conspiracy to block those with alternative views from publishing papers in academic journals, in addition to other allegations. Although the personal emails do not provide any scientific evidence that would counter the scientific consensus that human emissions are altering the climate

Forecast: Cloudy, damp & raw Thanksgiving week

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:00:05 -0500

Sunshine possibly returns next weekend * Radar, temps, clouds & more: Weather Wall | E-mail this forecast * * Science historian on climate scandal | Sea & sky over the Atlantic * EXPRESS FORECAST Today: Periods of light rain/drizzle. 47-51. | Tonight: Chance of light rain/drizzle. 44-47. | Tomorrow: A.M. drizzle, then mostly cloudy. 50-54. | A Look Ahead | Get Express Forecast by E-mail FORECAST IN DETAIL We seem to be alternating between generally sunny and dry stretches and cloudy and damp stretches. The weekend brought an end to a sunny one so now we begin another which will be cloudy. Regrettably, this cloudy, cool, and damp stretch may extend right on through Thanksgiving. Early indications, however, are that a sunny period may come back for next weekend. Radar: Latest regional radar shows movement of precipitation over past three hours. Powered by HAMweather. Refresh page to update. Click here

Forecast: Sunday sun fades to work-week worry

Sun, 22 Nov 2009 14:45:00 -0500

* Outside now? Weather Wall | Friend CWG on Facebook * EXPRESS FORECAST Today: Partly to mostly sunny. 57-60. | Tonight: Cloudy, chance of light rain late. 40-44. | Tomorrow: Cloudy, chance of rain. 48-52. | A Look Ahead FORECAST IN DETAIL We may be able to salvage one more pleasant day before a combo of systems tries to put a damper on our shortened work week. Skies will be partly to mostly sunny and pleasant overall -- similar to yesterday. After another shot of rain on Monday, uncertainty builds in the forecast details through Thanksgiving. One thing is more certain though, and that's that the whole of it will incorporate the chance of light showers and a good amount of gray. Clouds: Latest mid-Atlantic infrared satellite loop, courtesy Unisys. Click here to expand. Refresh page to update. See more maps on our Weather Wall Today (Sunday): We'll be

Forecast: Some Saturday sun and sixty

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0500

Clouds slowly settle in Sunday * Sea & sky over the Atlantic | Under Pressure by Air Pressure? * EXPRESS FORECAST Today: Partly to mostly sunny. 59-63. | Tonight: Mostly clear. 38-45. | Tomorrow: Increasing clouds. 53-57. | A Look Ahead | Get Express Forecast by E-mail FORECAST IN DETAIL We're looking at a pretty nice late fall weekend. Sunshine will radiate through the skies today, and though clouds increase tomorrow, odds are increasing it will remain dry. The ugly, damp weather may wait to arrive until Sunday night and Monday. Temperatures: Current area temperatures. Powered by Weather Bonk. Map by Google. Hover over and click icons for more info. Click and hold on map to pan. Refresh page to update. See map bigger on our Weather Wall. Today (Saturday): No doubt the day will start off chilly, with 30s in many suburbs. But sunshine, filtered at times by clouds,

PM Update: Weekend starts sunny; Rainy finish?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 15:15:34 -0500

Work week ends calm with near-average temperatures * Sea & sky over the Atlantic | Under Pressure by Air Pressure? * * Outside now? Clouds, temps, radar & more: Weather Wall | Traffic * Other than a sometimes gusty wind from the northwest, today has been quite pleasant, especially following the storminess of last night. Mostly sunny skies throughout the day have helped temperatures rise a bit above normal for late November, as highs neared 60 most spots. This evening promises worry free weather. Just bring a jacket along, as we'll cool off nicely once the sun sets. Temperatures: Current area temperatures. Powered by Weather Bonk. Map by Google. Hover over and click icons for more info. Click and hold on map to pan. Refresh page to update. See map bigger on our Weather Wall. Through Tonight: Evening temperatures quickly fall through 50s and into the 40s while winds of

Sea & sky while cruising the Atlantic

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:45:00 -0500

* Sunny days return: Full Forecast | Under pressure by air pressure? * Looking out at a shower over the open Atlantic. By Steve Tracton. I recently returned from a 16-day cruise which included seven days at sea crossing the Atlantic from Lisbon, Portugal to Fort Lauderdale, Fl. Two of the highlights of my first ocean cruise were experiencing the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean and how otherwise dull weather for a weather geek like me can be quite noteworthy. To cruise across the Atlantic is a totally different and indescribably exhilarating experience. Beyond the physical confines and many amenities (another story) of ship-board life there is nothing but sea, wind, waves, and dolphin sightings day after day. Nowhere else have I been able to see the true horizon, the merging of sky and sea (assuming clear skies) in every direction with no visual obstructions from trees, buildings, hills, etc.

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Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:45:00 -0500

Forecast: Sunny through Saturday. Then rain?

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:15:30 -0500

Weekend gets off to fine start, could finish wet * Under pressure by air pressure? | Next week: Photo contest winners * * Outside now? Clouds, temps, radar & more: Weather Wall * EXPRESS FORECAST Today: Becoming mostly sunny. Near 60. | Tonight: Mostly clear. Upper 30s to low 40s. | Tomorrow: Partly to mostly sunny. Upper 50s to near 60. | Sunday: Partly to mostly cloudy. Chance of p.m. rain. Mid-50s. | A Look Ahead | Get Express Forecast by E-mail FORECAST IN DETAIL Yesterday's showers and thundershowers are history. Now we have a couple of nice days ahead of us, with sunshine both today and Saturday. Our next storm system approaches on Sunday but may not bring rain chances until the afternoon or Sunday night, probably lasting into Monday. High temperatures, all the while, will stay in a pretty narrow range -- in the mid-50s to low 60s.

PM Update: Shower threat through evening

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:15:34 -0500

Sunshine returns on Friday, lasts through Saturday * Under pressure by air pressure? | Records reveal shifting climate * * Outside now? Radar, temps & more: Weather Wall | Traffic * Showers -- with some rumbles of thunder and brief heavy rain -- are affecting the area this afternoon. Northern and eastern sections are now in on the action after precipitation mainly hit the western suburbs through early afternoon. Additional activity along a cold front, still approaching from the west, will threaten through evening. Highs topped out in the upper 50s and low 60s -- some locations have cooled back a bit with the rain. Radar: Latest D.C. area radar loop shows movement of precipitation over past two hours. Powered by HAMweather. Refresh page to update. Click here or on image to enlarge. Or see radar bigger on our Weather Wall. Through Tonight: We stick with a risk of showers

Feeling under pressure by air pressure?

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:00:00 -0500

Wx in the City * Rain at times today: Full Forecast * There is no doubt that weather affects our health and well-being -- think hypothermia, sunburn and that good old "nice day" feeling from a clear, warm spring day. There is an entire field called biometeorology that is dedicated to studying the interactions between the atmosphere and living things. But, do minor changes in air pressure, which we experience on a weekly basis in the form of high and low pressure systems, affect our health? It's plausible. Keep reading for more on the effects of air pressure on how you feel. But first, take this poll... poll by twiigs.com