BLOG: Punxatawney Phil...Whatever

Six more weeks of winter is predicted by our heralded rodent. But considering we just hit a Wednesday daytime high of 70 degrees, we'll take it.

There is still some rain falling in parts of Maryland and Delaware, mostly from Route 50 on south. Radar echoes extend north past Baltimore into southeast Pennsylvania but are mostly not reaching the ground. Nevertheless we should probably mention at least a sprinkle in spots into the early afternoon and then clouds and a little sun. Do not think there is a lot of clearing during the afternoon, but we should clear out overnight as northerly gradient ultimately brings in drier air. There are no changes to the rest of the forecast.

Temperatures soared to levels near 70 Wednesday, but many were actually 3-5 degrees shy of the records for the date, many of which were established 10 years ago. Thursday will be cooler, but temperatures should still be mostly in the mid-50s Thursday afternoon.

Rain on the regional radar mosaic continues to occur in the mid-Atlantic states, with the Greater Baltimore Area being on the very northern fringes of this light rain. Lately, the European model has had the "hot hand" in forecasting this feature, insisting all of its rain would occur south of the Mason-Dixon Line, unlike the G.F.S.

Looking ahead to the next four or five days, one forecast has a dry forecast around here until next Monday night, at the earliest. And even then, it doesn't print out very much precipitation around here.

The sky Thursday night will turn out mainly clear, and it will be chillier. Most lows will be in the 30s. Sunshine much of the time Friday will be accompanied by high temperatures near 50.