"Expect tough going at the major airports this morning," forecasters said. The region remains stuck in a pattern of rain, drizzle, low clouds and fog as a high pressure center over New England continues to shove cool, wet air onshore and up against the eastern slope of the Appalachians.

"This will greatly hamper movement at all three major airports today," the forecasters' morning discussion warned. "If you want to look on the positive side, no airport [or] highway on the east coast will experience wintry weather on this busy travel day."

Not today, maybe, but Sterling is still predicting rain mixing with and changing to snow in the higher elevations of Maryland's western counties on Thanksgiving, and it could start accumulating overnight into Friday in some spots.

North and northwest winds and moisture off the Great Lakes are likely to yield a "prolonged upslope snow event through Friday night before winding down Saturday," they said. "Confidence is increasing in Winter Weather Advisory level snow accumulations [less than 4 inches] across the favored western slopes, but still too far out to nail down snow totals."

So far, the incessant dripping has left 1.11 inches of rain in The Sun's gauge since Monday. The airport has recorded just over 1.5 inches. 

Looking for good news? Well, forecasters do expect this soup to thin a little later today, with the chance we'll see a few stars tonight before the next coastal low brings us two more days of gray, wet weather. Then, as the low departs and winds become more westerly for the weekend, look for moderating temperatures and drier weather. Really.

(SUN PHOTO/Jed Kirschbaum 2008)