WASHINGTON 鈥� The first Monday of the new year 鈥� Jan. 4 — will be a cold one and may be jolting to聽those who enjoyed December’s warm聽temperatures.
Monday鈥檚 temperatures won鈥檛 climb out of the 30s, and with blustery winds it will feel as if it鈥檚 in the 20s.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 not only below average by several degrees, but it would be the coldest day we鈥檝e had since last March — March 6th,鈥� says Storm Team4 meteorologist聽Steve Prinzivalli.
The cold day follows , which made area golf courses busier than usual and saw diners eating outdoors at Georgetown restaurants on Christmas Eve.
The cold air should stick around through Tuesday.
鈥淚t looks like it鈥檚 in with this cold air, briefly, and then right back into a milder than average pattern for the second half of the upcoming work week,鈥� Prinzivalli says.
The temperature is expected to be back in the 50s on Saturday.
Children聽who got sleds and coasters under their Christmas trees will have to be content with waxing the blades, imagining snow and waiting.
鈥淭here鈥檚 not that chunk of cold air that we need to have to get snow across the mid-Atlantic and northeast,鈥� Prinzivalli explains.
The nation鈥檚 weather has been under the influence of 鈥� a mass of warm surface water in the Pacific Ocean that has helped bring us milder weather. But snow lovers eager for sledding and skiing may still have their day later this winter.
鈥淲e do expect the El Ni帽o to continue to weaken as we head through the winter and I believe that鈥檚 going to open up the gates for some colder weather and some opportunity for some snowfall,鈥� Prinzivalli says.
