DELMARVA FORECAST
Wednesday night: Chance of thunderstorms in the evening, then partly cloudy. Lows fall to the low 60s. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Thursday: On-and-off rain, possibly ending as snow. Windy. Winds from the northwest at 15 to 20 mph, gusting to 35 mph or more at times. Temperatures in the low 60s at sunrise fall to the low 30s by sunset. Chance of precipitation 90 percent.
Friday: Mostly sunny and breezy. Highs in the low 50s.
Saturday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid to upper 50s.
Sunday: Mostly cloudy. Highs around 60°F.
Monday: Rain and possibly a few thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 60s. Chance of rain 90 percent.
St. Patrick's Day: Mostly sunny and cold. Highs in the low to mid 40s.
FORECAST DISCUSSION
Normal high: 54°F. Normal low: 34°F.
Clouds scoured out today leaving much of Delmarva with summer-like temperatures well into the mid and occasionally, upper 80s, except at the coast where temperatures remained in the 50s.
As a storm system passes to our north and prepares to swing a cold front across Delmarva on Thursday, we'll see a chance for isolated to scattered thunderstorms Wednesday evening.
The threat for severe storms has diminished, with the threat now mainly focused on the Maryland Midshore and the northern half of Delaware. This is where we will have the greatest chances for thunderstorms with damaging winds, hail, and even a brief tornado.
The rest of Delmarva could still see a pop-up thunderstorm this evening, which could pack a punch of strong winds and torrential rain, but the severe threat is not a great.
The storm threat will end by late Wednesday evening, and we'll be left with partly cloudy to mostly cloudy skies overnight, with unseasonably warm temperatures only falling to the low 60s.
Thursday is shaping up to be a rather wild day ahead of the approaching cold front. Expect on-and-off rain all day, which could possibly end as some wet snow. Accumulations are not expected given how warm it has been, save for a coating on grassy and elevated surfaces. You will need a winter coat; it won't feel like it when you head out the door and feel temperatures in the 60s, but as the front swings through, temperatures will plummet all day, being down near freezing by the evening commute.
Seasonable high pressure builds in for Friday and Saturday, although it might be a bit breezy on Friday. Expect mostly sunny skies and highs in the mid 50s on Friday and mid to upper 50s Saturday.
Then temperatures rise into the mid 60s on Sunday ahead of another storm system, which could bring showers and possibly some thunderstorms to Delmarva on Monday.
Even colder temperatures, possibly highs only in the low 40s, are possible on St. Patrick's Day.
In the long range, temperatures are expected to average below normal, and precipitation below normal for March 18 - March 24.