Our dry weather and increasing winds today will raise the danger of wildfires in Maryland. Forecasters say the hazard doesn't yet rate a Red Flag advisory. But it's smart to keep the risk in mind when you're tempted to toss a cigarette or burn brush out on the old farmette.

Here's how the forecasters at Sterling put it this morning:

THERE WILL BE AN INCREASED FIRE THREAT TODAY AS HUMIDITIES LOWER AND
WINDS BECOME MORE GUSTY. EXPECTING HUMIDITIES TO BOTTOM OUT BETWEEN
30 AND 35 PERCENT FOR MOST THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL BECOME SSW
AROUND 14 MPH GUSTING UP TO 25 MPH AT TIMES. WITH GREENUP WELL
UNDERWAY WIDESPREAD FIRE PROBLEMS ARE NOT EXPECTED...BUT THE BREEZY
DRY CONDITIONS WILL PRESENT AN INCREASED FIRE THREAT.

Here's more detailed fire weather data.

As for rain, we've had less than an inch at BWI in the last month. There's some prospect for a bit more tomorrow as a cold front muscles in on the warm air that's flowing into the region from the south and southwest today. A few thundershowers are possible, but unless you're in their path, don't expect much in the way of moisture - less than a quarter-inch. Here's the official forecast.

Today will be a one-shot deal for the warm weather. Expect cooler weather again for the balance of the week, and a terrific weekend.

Here's a Cool Photo bonus. It's a shot of the Earth, photographed years ago by the Galileo mission to Jupiter as the spacecraft whizzed by Earth to pick up a gravitational speed boost. NASA spliced a string of still images together to produce this movie of the planet spinning in space. Watch closely and you can see Earth receding as Galileo headed off into the solar system.