Rain, 'Unseasonably Mild' Temps For New Year's Holiday: VA Weather

MARYLAND — A week after Virginia residents shivered in temperatures that plunged into the teens and were in the midst of a flash freeze that caused scattered power outages, the end of 2022 and the start of 2023 will prove to be much warmer.

After highs in the upper 50s on Friday, temperatures are expected to remain mild throughout the long holiday weekend and reach the 60s, forecasters are predicting. Rain will move in Saturday afternoon and continue through the evening, but the sun will shine on Sunday, Jan. 1, according to the National Weather Service.

"Unseasonably mild temperatures continue (Friday) with increasing clouds late," the National Weather Service said. "Highs will climb into the upper 50s and low to mid 60s, which is 10-20 degrees above average for this time of year. Rain chances return #NewYearsEve with drier weather to start 2023."

Temperatures will be 50, 60 and even 70 degrees Fahrenheit higher this weekend compared to the sub-zero conditions during Christmas weekend, according to AccuWeather.com.

Any time a flow of warm, moist air occurs over snow cover, cold ground or chilly bodies of water, there is the potential for fog. Some of these conditions will be present in portions of the central Appalachians, the mid-Atlantic and New England regions from Saturday through Saturday night.

AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno urged drivers who will be headed out to ring in the new year to be extra careful. "Lots of fog will be present around the Northeast region Saturday night," he said.

Here's the latest DC/Northern Virginia weather forecast:

Friday Night: Increasing clouds, with a low around 47. South wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Saturday: A chance of showers before 1pm, then rain after 1pm. High near 57. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Saturday Night: Rain likely before 1am. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 49. South wind around 6 mph becoming west after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

New Year's Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60. Northwest wind 5 to 9 mph.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 40. Calm wind.

Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 61.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 65.