VA, DC Spring Forecast 2020 From Weather Service, Weather Channel

WASHINGTON, DC — High temperatures have been fluctuating from the 60s to the 30s this week, so with March's arrival it's a good time to look ahead to what kind of spring the Washington, D.C., region faces: warm and dry or cool and damp? The National Weather Service and The Weather Channel have both released their long-range forecasts for the next three months.

The meteorologists at the National Weather Service say there are "elevated odds of below-normal temperatures for the central and southern Plains, Ohio Valley, Southeast and mid-Atlantic regions."

Spring officially begins Thursday, March 19. Washington, D.C., northern Virginia and the rest of the Mid-Atlantic region should gear up for a soggy spring, according to the weather service.

While this winter has been nearly snow-free, March can be the snowiest month of the winter in the DC region, experts say. Four years in the past decade saw the most snowfall in March: 2013, 2014, 2017 and 2018.

The experts at The Weather Channel say that weather in March could be similar to last year, which saw below-average temperatures in parts of the Northwest, Plains and portions of the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys, plus a powerful bomb cyclone, dubbed Winter Storm Ulmer.

Nationally, temperatures are expected to be below average from parts of the Dakotas to the upper Mississippi Valley, into the Tennessee Valley and north Georgia, The Weather Company reports. A widespread area from Montana eastward to the Great Lakes and into the Southern states will likely see temperatures near or slightly below average in March.

Most of the Northeast, as well as areas west of the Rockies, can expect temperatures near or slightly warmer than average, The Weather Company reports. The most above-average conditions will be found in Central and Southern California into southwestern Nevada and southwestern Arizona, the forecasters said.

The shift in forecast is due to a historically strong polar vortex that will persist into March, Todd Crawford, chief meteorologist at The Weather Company, said in the report. The latest computer models suggest this March could be similar to last year’s, which saw below-average temperatures in parts of the Northwest, Plains and portions of the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys.

As we know, plenty can change in a weather forecast. Here's a look ahead to the next week:

Saturday Afternoon: Partly sunny, with a high near 36. Northwest wind around 17 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 26. Northwest wind 7 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 50. West wind 6 to 9 mph.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 37. Southwest wind 6 to 8 mph.

Monday: A slight chance of showers after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 62. Southwest wind 7 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Monday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Tuesday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 63. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Tuesday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Wednesday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 64. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Wednesday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 56. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday Night: A chance of showers. Partly cloudy, with a low around 39. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Friday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 53. Chance of precipitation is 30%.