Thermometer reaches record 81 degrees at BWI

Our little one-day "heat wave" has pushed temperatures near Baltimore into the 80s this afternoon.

The official thermometer at BWI-Marshall Airport stood at 81 degrees just before 5 p.m. That seemed likely to stand as the day's high, but was already enough to set a new record for a March 18 in Baltimore. The old mark was 80 degrees, set on March 18, 1989.

It was also the first time Baltimore has reached the 80s since last Oct. 12, when the high was 81 degrees.

Elsewhere, temperatures pushed into the upper 70s and low 80s across the region. It was 82 degrees at the Maryland Science Center at 5 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. It was 81 at Martin State Airport in Middle River, in Frederick, and at The Sun's weather station (top)at Calvert and Centre Streets in Baltimore. Charlottesville, Va. reported 80 degrees.

It was 79 at Dulles Airport, also a new record, according to the National Weather Service. Annapolis reported 77 degrees; so did Reagan National Airport in Washington.

This will be it for this kind of weather for a while. The weekend looks sunny, but there's a cold front pushing through later today, so the weekend highs will only be in the 50s.