The weather pattern over Baltimore has been dictated by a persistent front, which the National Weather Service confirms is finally making its slow advance southeastward. Residents have seen this front inch across the region, ushering in showers and the occasional thunderstorm, particularly noted by NWS in Augusta County early this morning. According to the National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC, today's forecast sees this front clearing southern Maryland by approximately noon, ending the morning's wet conditions.
As the front progresses, it's expected to pave the way for clearer skies this afternoon with the introduction of drier air. While a stray storm remains a remote possibility, the front's exit is anticipated to bring about a mostly dry afternoon and evening. "Most locations should remain dry through the afternoon and evening hours" is the current outlook, with meteorologists predicting high temperatures reaching the mid 80s for most areas. Overnight, Baltimoreans can expect to see temperatures cooling off, dropping to the 60s to near 70, under mostly clear skies, though some patchy fog may creep along the sheltered river valleys.
Moving into the short term, Thursday and Friday's weather is characterized by an upper trough hanging over eastern North America. Despite a shortwave disturbance passing to the north, the mid-level dry air will likely keep any shower activities to a startling minimum. "The chance is actually too low at this point to mention in the online forecast," confirms the weather service, signaling less than a 15 percent chance of precipitation. The good news continues with a promise of mostly sunny skies, high temperatures in the mid-upper 80s, and noticeably reduced humidity.
Weather conditions are only improving as we head towards the weekend, with the weather service indicating the upper trough will have departed by Friday, allowing high pressure to establish itself in the area. Introducing this high pressure will bring sunny skies, with temperatures again hovering in the mid 80s, and dewpoints possibly dropping to a comfortable 50s by Friday afternoon. For those planning Independence Day celebrations, the outlook for clear skies and low humidity should hold up on the evening of July 4th. This favorable forecast extends into the weekend with "VFR conditions expected this weekend with light S/SE winds AOB 10 knots," perfect for maritime festivities, per NWS.
In terms of advisories, no significant warnings are in place across DC, Maryland, Virginia, or West Virginia, aside from a small craft advisory that was in effect until early this morning for certain zones on the Chesapeake Bay. The marine outlook for the remainder of the week and the upcoming weekend remains tranquil, with winds likely to remain below Small Craft Advisory levels through Friday night, according to the NWS marine forecast.
