Brutal Arctic Blasts to Deliver 1-2 Punch to Northern Virginia

Northern Virginia on Wednesday is enjoying sunny skies and temperatures near 40 degrees, but prepare to bundle up: Brutal Arctic air — some say the coldest this winter — is headed this way.

The Capital Weather Gang characterizes the cold coming to the area as a “one-two punch” with the first arriving Thursday night into Friday. Friday’s high won’t get above freezing, according to the National Weather Service.

Enjoy Saturday: That’s when the temperatures roller-coaster back up to 41 degrees, according to the weather service.

The second Arctic punch comes Saturday night into Sunday, with lows reaching 10 degrees Saturday night and 6 degrees Sunday night, the NWS says.

The cold continues Monday, when temperatures won’t get above freezing, although sunny skies are forecast by the NWS.

Winds Friday and Sunday will especially impact the weather, according to the Capital Weather Gang, noting that with wind chills, it will feel like zero degrees Friday morning and -5 to -15 on Sunday.

Here’s a timeline of when to expect the frigid temperatures, according to the National Weather Service:

• Thursday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 15. Blustery, with a northwest wind 18 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph.
• Friday: Sunny, with a high near 26. Northwest wind 10 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph.
• Friday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 19.
• Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 41.
• Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 10. Blustery.
• Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 19. Blustery. High single digits to low teens, winds 20-30 MPH, with 40-50 MPH wind gusts
• Sunday night: Low around 6 degrees.
• Monday (Presidents’ Day holiday): Sunny with a high of 26 degrees.

The National Weather Service forecasts that Tuesday will see temperatures climb to a “warm” 38 degrees.

Capital Weather Gang suggests not letting pets out for very long outside during extremely cold weather.