WEATHER

AREA FORECASTS

WASHINGTON: Today, sunny, windy, cool. High 74. Wind northwest15- 30 mph. Tonight, clear, cool, less windy. Low 54. Windnorthwest 6-12 mph. Saturday, sunny, little wind. High 76. Windwest to southwest 6- 12 mph.

MARYLAND: Today, sunny, cool, gusty wind. High 73-76. Windnorthwest 15-30 mph. Tonight, clear, chilly, less windy. Low 52-55.Wind northwest 6-12 mph. Saturday, sunny, little wind. High 73-76.Wind west to southwest 6-12 mph.

VIRGINIA: Today, sunny, cool, gusty wind. High 73-76. Windnorthwest 15-30 mph. Tonight, clear, chilly, less windy. Low 50-53.Wind northwest 6-12 mph. Saturday, sunny, little wind. High 73-76.Wind west to southwest 6-12 mph.

Recreational Forecasts

MOUNTAINS

Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia: Today, sunny, breezy, cool.High 65-70. Low 42-47. Wind northwest 10-20 mph. Saturday, sunny,patchy fog early. High 67-72. Wind northwest 6-12 mph.

BEACHES

Maryland and Delaware: Today, sunny, cool, windy. High 72-77.Low 52-57. Wind northwest 20-35 mph. Saturday, sunny, less windy.High 72-77. Wind west 8-15 mph.

Virginia: Today, sunny, windy, cool. High 75-80. Low 55-62.Wind west to northwest 15-30 mph. Saturday, sunny, less windy. High75-80. Wind southwest 6-12 mph.

BOATING

Upper Potomac River: Today, sunny, windy, cool. Wind west tonorthwest 15-30 knots.

Lower Potomac and Chesapeake Bay: Today, sunny, cool. Wind westto northwest 15-30 knots, gusts 40 knots. Waves 2 feet on the lowerPotomac and 2-4 feet on the bay.

River Stages: The National Weather Service estimates the stage atLittle Falls to be 4.0 this morning. The stage is unavailable forSaturday morning. Flood stage at Little Falls is 10 feet.

PLANET WATCH

Sun 6:51 a.m. 7:14 p.m.

Moon 2:01 p.m. -- -- -- --

Mercury 7:29 a.m. 7:36 p.m.

Venus 4:11 a.m. 5:18 p.m.

Mars 1:13 p.m. 10:34 p.m.

Jupiter 8:54 p.m. 10:16 a.m.

Saturn 9:34 p.m. 11:15 a.m.

Uranus 5:25 p.m. 3:34 a.m.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Forecasts for Washington area, 202-334-9000 code 9100.

Long range regional forecasts, 703-260-0405.

Chesapeake Bay boating forecast, 703-260-0505.

Recreational and traveler's forecast, 703-260-0706.

Smithsonian Institution star/planet information, 202-357-2000.

Air Quality Index, 202-962-3299

For hourly updates of major cities on the internet,http://www.weatherpost.com