D.C.-area forecast: Highs climb through 70s today, challenging records

Today’s daily digit

A somewhat subjective rating of the day’s weather, on a scale of 0 to 10.

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Impressive warm surge but ignore the urge of a fall wardrobe purge.

Express forecast

Today: Mostly sunny and breezy. Highs: 73 to 79.

Tonight: Increasing clouds, breezy. Lows: 44 to 50.

Tomorrow: Mostly cloudy with spotty showers. Highs: 50 to 56.

Forecast in detail

Don’t get used to today’s record-challenging warmth. It is back to fall sweater weather tomorrow through the weekend. Despite the frontal passage, showers are spotty on Friday and then it is placidly dry all weekend.

Today (Thursday): Brisk south winds are the first clue that it is going to be warm, with 70s across the area. Records of 79 at Reagan National and 78 at Dulles International and BWI airports are within reach. Winds shift to the northwest in the afternoon, but cool air will be slow to arrive. Sun is plentiful with just a few clouds popping up in the afternoon. Confidence: High

Tonight: Clouds gradually increase overnight and northwest breezes remain on the gusty side. Lows fall to the mid- to upper 40s. Confidence: Medium-High

Tomorrow (Friday): The cool air settles in and temperatures struggle to rise with highs in the low to mid-50s. Cloudy skies dominate, and some light showers are probable but shouldn’t amount to much. West winds lighten as the day progresses. Confidence: Medium-High

Tomorrow night: Skies clear and winds calm, allowing lows to fall into the 30s. Early risers may catch the sliver of a crescent moon on the eastern horizon with bright Venus sparkling above it. Confidence: Medium-High

A look ahead

High pressure settles in on Veterans Day (Saturday), bringing a day of blue skies and crackly dry air. Highs are mainly in the low to mid-50s, and overnight lows range from mid-20s to lower 30s. Confidence: High

Sunday and Monday remain firmly under the cool dry air mass, which steers showers far to our south through the Carolinas. Highs are in the upper 40s to lower 50s under sunny skies, and lows remain in the mid-20s to lower 30s. Confidence: Medium-High