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Cooling off, drying out

The persistent heat that jacked the number of 90-degree-plus days at BWI this summer to 39 this weekend, will give way this week, finally, to more seasonable weather. Forecasters say it may feel downright autumnal after we get through this very warm, tropically humid day today. Here's the official forecast.

The 39th day of 90-degree heat at BWI came on Saturday. We reached 91 degrees at BWI for the second day in a row, and for the third day in September. The day averaged 10 degrees above the long-term average for the date. It also tied with the 39 days of 90-plus days we saw in 2006. 

Thankfully, there's a cool front drifting our way from the north and west. It will move in and stall today and tonight, forecasters tell us. Then there's another right behind it, arriving with breezy conditions late tomorrow. And we'll see a third over the weekend. (This is typical of the transition to fall weather.)

Showers are possible with each frontal passage. After the second front passes by us tomorrow, we're promised "much drier air and a more fall-like air mass" for the rest of the week, forecasters say.

"Much of the mid-Atlantic should barely pass the 80-degree mark for daytime highs the rest of the week," they say. That's actually about normal for this time of year at BWI.

Gabrielle, meanwhile, has moved off the Carolina Capes and back into the Gulf Stream. It sure felt tropical out there this morning, and it's tempting to say that was a breath of Gabby's moisture as she turned for the sea. But it's hard to see that in the satellite loops. Looks like the beaches felt her, but our air and clouds and humidity and morning fog appear to be coming up from the southwest. Have a look.  Here's the water vapor loop.

 

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About Frank Roylance
Frank Roylance is a reporter for The Baltimore Sun. He came to Baltimore from New Bedford, Mass. in 1980 to join the old Evening Sun. He moved to the morning Sun when the papers merged in 1992, and has spent most of his time since covering science, including astronomy and the weather. One of The Baltimore Sun's first online Web logs, the Weather Blog debuted in October 2004. In June 2006 Frank also began writing comments on local weather and stargazing for The Baltimore Sun's print Weather Page.
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