Mild start, chilly finish this weekend...

A split-look weekend is on the way, with temperatures likely reaching the lower 60s on Saturday, but cooling to the low and mid 40s on Sunday. A cold front will slide through central Virginia, settling to the south and east of the Metro Richmond area later Saturday night. Low pressure will ride northeast along the front Sunday, producing another round of rain from Sunday afternoon through very early Monday morning. Locations to the north, from D.C. to Philadelphia, may see some snow due to somewhat colder air in place. That all depends on the exact storm track.

Finishing 2007 and starting 2008...

The year will end on a somewhat "mild" note on Monday, with temperatures in the 50s under partly sunny skies. However, colder air will gradually build into the Mid-Atlantic by the middle of the week, so it will get progressively colder during the start of 2008. New Year's Eve should be dry, with temperatures at midnight probably in the upper 30s, so plan to dress appropriately if you're heading out.

Flurries mid-week?

As the colder air settles in from the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, some upper level energy moving over the region Wednesday may trigger some snow flurries. More substanial snow showers are possible in the mountains to the west. The coldest day will likely be Thursday, when afternoon temperatures may not get out of the 30s. Morning lows will average in the lower 20s in the city, with teens in rural communities.

Looking beyond...

An upper ridge is likely to build back east by the weekend of January 5/6, quickly easing the chill and moderating our temperatures. Our longer range computer models don't show our next weather-maker affecting us until at least Monday the 7th or Tuesday the 8th. By that time, it should be quite mild, so don't expect any snow possibilities. In fact, remember that my Winter Outlook calls for a mild January (with an interlude of cold air mid-month), so this might just a sign of the developing pattern for the following week or two.