Washington D.C residents have been experiencing extreme cold in recent days, but forecasters say they can expect temperatures to warm up in the very near future.

Why It Matters

Millions of people are facing frigid temperatures through this week. Subzero wind chills hit the Northern U.S. over the weekend and have since spread further into the U.S. The dangerous cold caused President Donald Trump to move his inauguration inside in Washington, D.C.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has warned that bitterly cold wind chills in the region could result in hypothermia or frostbite and advised people in the U.S. capital to wear appropriate clothing, including multiple layers.

What To Know

According to the NWS, arctic air encompassing the eastern two-thirds of the United States will persist with a slow return to normal temperatures expected by the end of the week.

This comes after the NWS previously issued a cold weather advisory until 10:00 AM EST on Thursday for the D.C area.

The NWS forecast for the next few days offers a mix of frigid lows and gradual temperature improvement. On Wednesday, morning temperatures dipped into the single digits, with wind chills amplifying the bitter cold.

However, conditions are expected to improve slightly as the week progresses. Highs may reach the mid-30s by Friday, with a stronger warming trend over the weekend when temperatures could approach the 40s​​.

According to the local CBS News affiliate WUSA, while the cold is expected to persist through Saturday, a milder seasonable weather returns Sunday in the mid 40s, right around average for the end of January, with mostly cloudy skies.

In addition, WUSA notes that once the 40s return on Sunday, the warmer temperatures will stick around through much of next week.

What People Are Saying

WUSA Meteorologist Kaitlyn McGrath said: “We will stay nice and clear throughout the remainder of the week, we are really in for a nice stretch of weather and we deserve it after the really cold temperatures we’ve been dealing with over the past several days. And again it’s still cold all the way through Saturday…but by the time we get to Sunday into Monday temperatures are closer to where they should be.”

Fox News weather anchor Tucker Barnes said in a Wednesday post on X (formerly Twitter): “One more very cold day before a gradual warm-up gets going for the weekend, Highs in the teens and low 20’s this afternoon.”

AccuWeather meteorologist Brandon Buckingham previously told Newsweek: “Aside from the cold and windy conditions, mostly sunny skies are expected.”

What Happens Next

While the cold snap will persist through Thursday, a southwesterly wind shift by Friday should begin to moderate temperatures. The forecast calls for highs in the mid-40s by Sunday, a welcome reprieve from the current chill.