A wet, warm front will wash over much of the region tonight and Thursday, with highs reaching the 50s and 60s around Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia, and the lower-elevation resorts. Rain may briefly mix with snow late Thursday into Friday across the Poconos and central Appalachians, but lower areas such as Bear Creek, Liberty Mountain, and Massanutten have little natural-snow potential.
The best winter weather will focus on the higher mountains, especially Snowshoe, Canaan Valley Resort, Timberline, and Beech Mountain. Rain should change to snow Thursday night, followed by periods of snow Friday and lingering snow chances into Saturday, with highs mostly in the upper 20s and 30s and overnight lows in the 20s. Windy conditions may affect lift operations and visibility, while the colder nights offer potential snowmaking windows where operations are active._conditions farther east improve only modestly, with rain or rain/snow and limited accumulation potential.
Weather Fact of the Day
Before radiosondes, forecasters used airplanes and even kites to sample the atmosphere above the ground. In 1937, the U.S. Weather Bureau began a nationwide network of balloon-borne instruments that radioed back temperature, humidity, pressure, and wind -- revealing the hidden layers that determine whether an Appalachian storm delivers snow, sleet, or rain.
DCSki regional outlook based on National Weather Service forecasts for Mid-Atlantic ski areas.
