Northern Virginia Columbus Day Weekend Weather: Stellar Start But. . .

STERLING, VA — Depending upon how one considers Columbus Day Weekend, the following forecast from the National Weather Service's satellite branch in Sterling offers something of a mixed bag. Simply put, the beginning of the weekend is expected to be delightful. After that? Not so much.

On Saturday, expect mostly sunny conditions with highs in the mid 80s. For the rest of the weekend, through Monday, look for clouds and showers with highs in the upper 70s. (For more local news, click here to sign up for real-time news alerts. Also, like us on Facebook, and if you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Here's the latest forecast from the National Weather Service:

This Afternoon: Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. South wind around 5 mph.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 63. South wind around 5 mph.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 83. South wind 5 to 10 mph.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Sunday: Showers likely, mainly after 8am. Cloudy, with a high near 79. South wind 7 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Sunday Night: Showers. Low around 70. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Columbus Day: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 79. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Monday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Tuesday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 84. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Image via Patch file