That's what we used to call this gray, cool, drizzly weather. It was just like Ireland out there for the St. Patrick's Day parade yesterday, only warmer. Last time we were in Eire, we had to buy wool sweaters, wool caps and scarves to stay warm. And I threw in a (green) rubber coat to stay dry. And it was June! No wonder they invented pubs. And Guinness.

Anyway, we're in for another day of this stuff. Forecasters out at Sterling have little faith we'll even top 50 degrees today. (The average high for a March 16 in Baltimore is 54 degrees.) Rain moves into the region tonight, with as much as a quarter-inch possible. You can see the moisture pouring in on this satellite image loop of water vapor.

The dampness and fog may be slow to depart tomorrow east of the mountains. But things will begin to clear out as low pressure finally drifts off the southeast coast and high pressure moves in behind it.

Temperatures tomorrow should begin to rise through the 50s as the mid-March sunshine begins to work its magic. And as the high settles in, the southwest flow will push temperatures on Wednesday toward the 70s, in sunshine. 

But that breath of spring will be brief. There will be a cold front close behind the high. That will mean more showers late Wednesday into Thursday, and temperatures will sink back into the 50s - though they will remain above average for the season.

Then, finally, the weather clears behind the front, giving us cool but sunny weather into the weekend. Best days for being outdoors? Wednesday, if you can get it off (near 70 and sunny), and Sunday (58 and mostly sunny).

The leprechaun in the photo? That's 17-month-old Kyleigh Musick, of Parkton, with her friend Donna Steinmentz, of Lancaster, Pa., at yesterday's St. Patrick's Day Parade in Baltimore.