An Arctic chill is forecast to intensify in the Baltimore area Wednesday, with blustery winds making it feel like the 20s and 30s throughout the day, albeit under sunny skies.
Temperatures dropped to 26 degrees at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in the early morning hours, with wind chills as cold as 20 degrees. Afternoon highs are forecast to peak in the lower 40s, but breezes of 10-20 mph throughout the day are expected to make it feel no warmer than the mid-30s.
The winds combined with low humidity in the air mean an enhanced threat of wildfire spread around the region, the National Weather Service cautioned.
Wednesday night, the air could be even colder, with temperatures in the mid-20s in the suburbs and lower 30s downtown, but with calmer winds.
The chill is unlikely to be record-breaking, however, with lows of 22 degrees on Nov. 13, 1911,, and 18 degrees on Nov. 14, 1986.
A warm-up is forecast later in the week, but temperatures could still remain below long-term averages for this time of year. Highs Thursday and Friday are forecast in the mid-50s, with lows in the lower- to mid-30s.
Highs are expected to bounce to the upper 50s, with lows in the 40s, by the weekend, though with clouds returning and bringing a chance of showers on Sunday.