Northern Virginia Weather: Nor'easter, Rain Lurk

STERLING, VA—Of primary concern to most folks in the Northern Virginia area regarding the approaching nor'easter should be a relatively brief but nonetheless soaking rainfall, with up to a couple of inches falling from Friday night into Saturday morning. That's the word from the National Weather Service's local bureau in Sterling as well as other area forecasters.

The nor'easter, which if officially confirmed will be the region's first of the fall, is a result of the remnants of Hurricane Willa colliding with a system out of the Southwest. According to the Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang, "some of the storm’s heaviest rain could fall in the Mid-Atlantic. Washington and Baltimore could both receive two inches, on top of what has been one of their rainiest years to date."

Look for rain to begin Friday afternoon, and that night wind gust could be as high as 20 mph. It's likely to continue through early Saturday afternoon, with spotty bands of showers possible that night. Everything pretty much should be cleared out by Sunday.

Nor'easters form within 100 miles of the coast from New Jersey to Georgia when cold air and warm water meet, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Storms develop as the polar jet stream blows cold air south and east from Canada, hitting the Gulf Stream, a warm current in the Atlantic. Typically, the storms appear between September and April, officials say.

Here's the detailed forecast from the National Weather Service:

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. Light and variable wind.

Friday: Rain, mainly after 2pm. High near 51. Southeast wind around 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Friday Night: Rain. Low around 48. Northeast wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Saturday: Rain likely, mainly before 2pm. Cloudy, with a high near 55. North wind around 11 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Saturday Night: A chance of rain before 8pm, then a chance of showers after 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 58.

Sunday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Monday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 57. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 41.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.

Image via National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Weather Prediction Center