BALTIMORE —

An arctic air mass has become firmly established in the region, driven by strong northwesterly winds that are sending bitterly cold air into the area. Temperatures, which began to fall this morning, will continue to fall during the evening and overnight hours. This, combined with the gusty winds, will result in dangerously weak wind chills into early Friday morning.

By this evening, “perceived” temperatures will drop into the low to mid teens, while actual temperatures will drop into the mid and upper 20s. Wind gusts of over 50 km/h will occur overnight before gradually easing on Friday morning. Although it will remain windy on Friday, the winds will be less strong compared to Thursday.

Arctic cold on Friday

Friday afternoon temperatures will struggle to climb above the mid to upper 30s as arctic air takes a firm grip on the region. The coldest wind chills are expected in the morning hours, with a slight improvement by the afternoon.

The coldest night of the week will come Friday evening. Temperatures will drop into the low teens and low 20s in many areas. The good news? The wind will be much lighter, helping to reduce the effects of wind chill.

Weekend Weather Outlook

The weekend looks promising, albeit cool. On Saturday, high temperatures will reach almost 40 degrees and night temperatures will drop back down to 20 degrees. However, sunshine on Sunday will help temperatures rise back below 50°C, providing some relief from the icy conditions.

Next week: A warming trend and rain

The warming trend will continue into next week as the southwest flow brings milder air and more moisture. Highs on Monday will reach lows into the mid-50s, but this warmer air will be accompanied by widespread, light rain from a storm system moving in from the southwest.

The rain will continue into Monday before the system shuts down early Tuesday morning. A short dry period is expected on Tuesday evening, but there is likely to be more rain on Wednesday night. Despite the rain, highs will climb to lows into the mid 60s Tuesday afternoon.

Cooling down during the week

Cooler air returns on Wednesday, with highs in the 50s with cloudy skies and a few scattered showers. A final storm system will move out early Thursday, ushering in stormy and cool conditions to end the week.

On Thursday and Friday next week, highs will only reach the 40s, while overnight lows will climb back into the 20s and 30s.