DC weather: Sunny Tuesday near 70 degrees before late-week temperatures drop into the 50s

WASHINGTON - Sunny skies will bring highs near 70 degrees to the Washington, D.C. area Tuesday for a brief warm stretch before temperatures plunge into the 50s later this week.

Early morning temperatures started in the 40s before rising with clear skies. Clear conditions will continue into Tuesday night, with lows dropping back into the 40s and some 30s.

Wednesday, which marks Veterans Day, will remain mostly sunny with a daytime high near 66 degrees. Clouds will begin increasing later in the day as another weather system approaches, bringing a slight chance of rain late Wednesday night.

Rain is likely Thursday under mostly cloudy skies, with highs reaching near 62 degrees. Scattered showers are expected to arrive around 8:30 a.m. Thursday and continue through the afternoon into Friday morning, causing wet roads across the area.

In higher elevations farther west toward West Virginia, a few wet snowflakes could mix in, though temperatures will remain too warm for significant winter weather impacts.

Dry but colder conditions will follow from Friday through the weekend and into the start of next week. Daytime highs will fall into the low 50s, while overnight lows will dip into the upper 30s, with suburban areas potentially dropping to near the freezing mark.