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Region should expect rain through Thursday

By Lauryn Ricketts

WASHINGTON — Hopefully everybody enjoyed the weekend because rain is a’coming and it’s here to stay – at least through the first part of Thursday.

The D.C. metro area will get in on the action that comes from the Midwest (although nowhere near the severity) for this week as a strong closed area of low pressure sits and slowly spins to the east. At the same time, a warm front is to our south by the Virginia and North Carolina border. This warm front will slowly push north by Wednesday morning and its attending cold front will move out of the plains and sweep through our area during Wednesday evening, clearing the region by Thursday.

Rain will pick up in intensity through the day on Tuesday. Temperatures will barely make it out of the 50s with a breezy easterly wind.

By Wednesday we can expect warming temperatures with a nice southerly breeze, shooting our daytime highs to near 70. With that push of warm air ejecting from the Gulf of Mexico, and multiple disturbances floating through the region we can expect some thunderstorms on Tuesday night through the day on Wednesday and some could be on the strong/severe side.

Expect a few lingering showers on Thursday morning before we finally break this pattern and get some clearing by Thursday afternoon.

Here’s a breakdown of each day:

Tuesday: Breezy with temperatures not above the 50s. Chance of rain all day, falling light to moderate at times, picking up in intensity in the evening hours.

Tuesday night: Rain continues to increase in intensity. We could have some thunderstorms in the mix as well. Temperatures drop just a smidge from our daytime highs on Tuesday, most likely bottoming out in the mid 50s.

Wednesday: Warming quickly with a southeasterly breeze at 10-20 mph or more, temperatures will reach near 70. Rain chances will continue through the day as well as the threat of thunderstorms. We could have strong to severe thunderstorms in the listening area on Wednesday.

Wednesday overnight: Rain showers moving out and off the coast from the west to the east. Temperatures fall to around 60 degrees with winds decreasing.

Thursday: A few lingering showers are possible early in the morning but will clear by the afternoon (if not before). Temperatures will top out in the mid 70s.

Obviously, due to the low progression of this system, we are bound to have to watch the flooding potential.

␎ monday2.jpg

(Courtesy WJLA)

There is a good chance of flash flooding across the region. Please be mindful of this when you are driving around the next few days and avoid any water covered roadways. The above graphic is the flash flood guidance for our area. In other words how much rain needs to fall in a 6-hour period to achieve flooding status (as of April 28, 2014). This shows around an inch in the D.C. area and anywhere from 2-3 inches west and 3.5 inches to the south.

Compare that graphic with this graphic and you can see why flooding may be a concern for the region over the next few days:

␎ monday3.jpg

(Courtesy WJLA)

Our in-house model shows that the Blue Ridge Mountains will be the sweet spot of accumulated rainfall through at least Wednesday afternoon — however, average amounts through from Monday night through Thursday morning will be anywhere from 3 to 5 inches of accumulated rainfall with higher amounts likely. And this is why the National Weather Service issued a Flash Flood Watch for Tuesday night into late Wednesday.

␎ monday4.jpg

Flash Flood Watch from Tuesday evening through late Wednesday night. (WJLA)

Not only has a Flash Flood Watch been issued but a flood watch has been issued for Opequon Creek near Martinsburg in Berkeley and Jefferson Counties, Seneca Creek at Dawsonville affecting Montgomery County and Monocacy River in Frederick County, Maryland for Wednesday evening through Thursday evening.

␎ monday5.jpg

(Courtesy WJLA)

So there we have it. We will continue to update you with any thoughts on chances of severe weather by the time we head into Wednesday. I really think that will be our best chance to get some severe activity with the relatively moist air mass in place, conditions could be conducive to see some damaging winds and possibly a small tornado risk.

Until then, just keep happy thoughts until Friday because that will be our first fully dry day this work week.

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Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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