Residents in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia areas are set to batten down the hatches as the National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory that's in effect today from 9 AM until 6 PM. According to the NWS forecast, there will be "West winds 20 to 25 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected."
The advisory, which also stretches into parts of West Virginia, warns travelers to be particularly careful as "Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution." In addition to travel disruptions, the winds are potent enough to easily blow around unsecured objects, knock down tree limbs, and potentially result in a few inconvenient power outages. Areas with snow are advised to be mindful as the gusty winds may lead to some areas of blowing snow, creating periods of reduced visibility, as detailed by the NWS website.
Today's weather in Washington D.C. starts off mostly sunny with a slight wind picking up speed into the afternoon which may gust as high as 24 mph. According to the weather update, overnight could see a chance of showers, with mostly cloudy skies and a low of around 37 degrees. Moving into Thursday, while the chance of precipitation drops, the winds are expected to sharply pick up, leading into the advisory period.
As we head into the weekend, conditions seem to promise a reprieve with a mostly sunny forecast and milder winds. But those with outdoor plans should stay tuned, as Sunday night might introduce a chance of showers, which could persist into the beginning of the next week. "Use extra caution," urges the NWS in their wind advisory.
