We are feeling winter's last puffs as we blow into the weekend, but it will feel like spring again come Sunday.
Wind gusts reached 30 mph at the Sun weather station downtown and at BWI Airport overnight and have been in the 15-20 mph range Friday. The National Weather Service is calling for 20-25 mph winds this afternoon and gusts up to 40 mph. A gale warning and small craft advisory are in effect on the Chesapeake Bay, and a special weather statement warns of high risk of wildfires spreading Friday.
The wind is bringing a chill, at least relatively. We hit 51 in the lunch hour here at Calvert and Centre streets. Highs are expected in the mid-50s Friday, and we'll be lucky to break 50 on Saturday.
The good news: sunny skies. Mid-50s felt pretty good walking through Mount Vernon with the sun on my back, personally. No rain is in the forecast to dampen any weekend plans.
And we'll be back to the spring weather to which we've become accustomed on Sunday, with highs expected near 60 and toward 70 degrees going into next week.