DELMARVA FORECAST
New Year's Eve: Drizzle and fog in the morning, then more widespread showers and areas of fog in the afternoon. Warm, with afternoon highs in the low to mid 60s. Chance of rain 70 percent.
Saturday night: Rain likely in the evening. A few brief downpours and a rumble of thunder are possible, but strong thunderstorms are not expected. Fog likely. Lows in the upper 40s. Chance of rain 80 percent.
New Year's Day: Lingering showers early, then mostly sunny by afternoon. Mild. Highs in the low 60s. Chance of rain 30 percent, mainly in the morning.
Monday: Mostly sunny and mild. Highs in the low 60s.
Tuesday: Partly cloudy and warm. Highs in the mid 60s.
Wednesday: Showers likely. Warm. Highs in the mid to upper 60s. Chance of rain 70 percent.
Thursday: Lingering showers. Becoming cooler. Highs in the mid to upper 50s. Chance of rain 30 percent.
Friday: Mostly sunny and seasonable. Highs in the upper 40s.
FORECAST DISCUSSION
Normal high: 47°F. Normal low: 29°F.
Our New Year's Eve is shaping up to be wet and gloomy.
As a storm system approaches from the west, expect warm and muggy conditions. Drizzle and fog are likely in the morning, with showers becoming more widespread by afternoon. The fog could lower visibility to ½ mi or less at times. Temperatures will climb into the low to mid 60s.
Guidance is suggesting that the heaviest of the rain will fall in the evening, likely between sunset and midnight. A few brief downpours, and even a rumble of thunder could be possible. Either way, rain could interrupt outdoor New Year's Eve celebrations. Fortunately, all precipitation will be plain rain as temperatures will remain well above freezing, with Saturday night's lows only falling to the upper 40s.
New Year's Day may feature a few lingering showers in the morning before becoming mostly sunny by afternoon. In the wake of the storm, though, temperatures remain unseasonably mild, with Sunday's highs in the low 60s.
Monday and Tuesday will be dry and warm with highs in the upper 50s and low 60s.
Our next weather maker will bring rain showers sometime around mid-week.
Long-range guidance is suggesting a return to seasonable cool weather by next weekend.