D.C.-area forecast: Much cooler today with periods of light rain

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Today’s daily digit

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

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A bit of chill shock? Needed rain is welcome, but clouds and chilly daytime temperatures may not be an ideal Friday for all.

Express forecast

Today: Light rain/showers. Highs: Around 50, then 40s.

Tonight: Clearing, calming. Lows: 30s.

Tomorrow: Mainly sunny, slight breeze. Highs: 52-59.

Sunday: Partly sunny. Highs: Mid-40s to low 50s.

Forecast in detail

Behind our cold front, temperatures may drop about 36 degrees in 36 hours from Thursday’s warm levels. Behind today’s rain chances we clear out and stay generally in the 50s through Sunday. The clearest skies may wait until the workweek as temperatures moderate, but breezes tick up a notch.

Today (Friday): Clouds and some rain through much of the day. Temperatures around 50 near sunrise slide into the 40s with precipitation around. We could see a few rays of sun nearer sunset. Rain amounts may approach a quarter-inch in the luckiest of spots. Northwesterly breezes may gust around 15 mph midday but should trend down with time in the afternoon. Confidence: Medium-High

Tonight: Clearing skies and calming westerly breezes. Low temperatures in almost the entire region should bottom out in the 30s. Mainly low and mid-30s outside the Beltway, with upper 30s to near 40 in the city and near the bay. Confidence: Medium-High

Veterans Day (Saturday): Mainly sunny skies seem probable. A midday and afternoon breeze near 15 mph from the northwest adds a bit of a wind chill to high temperatures from about 52 to 59. Confidence: Medium-High

Tomorrow night: Skies should only have a few clouds as breezes stay somewhat tame. Upper 20s to mid-30s are a likely range for low temperatures. Confidence: Medium-High

Sunday: This is probably our coolest and most crisp day. High temperatures may range from the mid-40s in the typically coolest spots north and west to lower 50s around the Beltway. A few clouds from time to time in otherwise sunny skies shouldn’t be much of a bother. Confidence: Medium-High

A look ahead

Sunday night: Skies may remain clear and breezes may fully calm for once. This combo allows for easy heat escape, producing chilly low temperatures in the mid-20s to around 30, with mid-30s downtown. Confidence: Medium

Bright and mainly sunny skies Monday and Tuesday as our coolness moderates further to the 50s, or closer to average high temperatures for this time of year. Rain chances remain out of the picture, but we have a chance for slightly higher breeziness both days. Despite moderating temperatures, the air mass remains dry and crisp (static shocks and moisturizer may be top of mind). Confidence: Medium-High