diff --git a/bin/weecfg/tests/expected/weewx43_user_expected.conf b/bin/weecfg/tests/expected/weewx43_user_expected.conf
index f877787e..cd8c9610 100644
--- a/bin/weecfg/tests/expected/weewx43_user_expected.conf
+++ b/bin/weecfg/tests/expected/weewx43_user_expected.conf
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ log_failure = True
socket_timeout = 20
# Do not modify this - it is used by setup.py when installing and updating.
-version = 4.4.0
+version = 4.5.0a1
##############################################################################
diff --git a/bin/weewx/__init__.py b/bin/weewx/__init__.py
index 39094ce1..a53783b9 100644
--- a/bin/weewx/__init__.py
+++ b/bin/weewx/__init__.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
from __future__ import absolute_import
import time
-__version__="4.4.0"
+__version__="4.5.0a1"
# Holds the program launch time in unix epoch seconds:
# Useful for calculating 'uptime.'
diff --git a/docs/changes.txt b/docs/changes.txt
index 3b023f2a..e35b2ba0 100644
--- a/docs/changes.txt
+++ b/docs/changes.txt
@@ -13,9 +13,6 @@ experimental and subject to change! Addresses issue #341.
Improved performance when calculating series using aggregation periods that are
multiples of a day.
-
-4.4.1 MM/DD/YYYY
-
Changed NOAA reports to use the 'normalized_ascii' encoding instead of 'utf8'
(which did not display correctly for most browsers). Fixes issue #646.
diff --git a/docs/customizing.htm b/docs/customizing.htm
index 2a2e8ca6..2d6bffe9 100644
--- a/docs/customizing.htm
+++ b/docs/customizing.htm
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@
-Version: 4.4
+Version: 4.5
WeeWX Customization Guide
diff --git a/docs/devnotes.htm b/docs/devnotes.htm
index 6da37998..919e257f 100644
--- a/docs/devnotes.htm
+++ b/docs/devnotes.htm
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
-Version: 4.4
+Version: 4.5
Notes for Developers of the WeeWX Weather System
diff --git a/docs/hardware.htm b/docs/hardware.htm
index 14666fc1..dfe0e0e2 100644
--- a/docs/hardware.htm
+++ b/docs/hardware.htm
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@
-Version: 4.4
+Version: 4.5
WeeWX Hardware Guide
diff --git a/docs/readme.htm b/docs/readme.htm
index c2a9650a..26733c7a 100644
--- a/docs/readme.htm
+++ b/docs/readme.htm
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@
-Version: 4.4
+Version: 4.5
WeeWX Documentation
diff --git a/docs/upgrading.htm b/docs/upgrading.htm
index b58edd4a..0c4ce31b 100644
--- a/docs/upgrading.htm
+++ b/docs/upgrading.htm
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@
-Version: 4.4
+Version: 4.5
WeeWX Upgrade Guide
diff --git a/docs/usersguide.htm b/docs/usersguide.htm
index cf8edf75..09c6dfaa 100644
--- a/docs/usersguide.htm
+++ b/docs/usersguide.htm
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@
-Version: 4.4
+Version: 4.5
User's Guide to WeeWX
diff --git a/docs/utilities.htm b/docs/utilities.htm
index 5e06293d..63130d34 100644
--- a/docs/utilities.htm
+++ b/docs/utilities.htm
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@
-Version: 4.4
+Version: 4.5
WeeWX Utilities Guide
diff --git a/pkg/changelog.el b/pkg/changelog.el
index 264b8275..4d90cf09 100644
--- a/pkg/changelog.el
+++ b/pkg/changelog.el
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+* Mon Mar 15 2021 Thomas Keffer (Author of weewx) - 4.5.0a1-1
+- new upstream release
* Sat Jan 30 2021 Thomas Keffer (Author of weewx) - 4.4.0-1
- new upstream release
* Mon Jan 04 2021 Thomas Keffer (Author of weewx) - 4.3.0-1
diff --git a/pkg/changelog.suse b/pkg/changelog.suse
index 9e51fa23..647fc11b 100644
--- a/pkg/changelog.suse
+++ b/pkg/changelog.suse
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+* Mon Mar 15 2021 Thomas Keffer (Author of weewx) - 4.5.0a1-1
+- new upstream release
* Sat Jan 30 2021 Thomas Keffer (Author of weewx) - 4.4.0-1
- new upstream release
* Mon Jan 04 2021 Thomas Keffer (Author of weewx) - 4.3.0-1
diff --git a/pkg/debian/changelog b/pkg/debian/changelog
index 083419e1..797fb98a 100644
--- a/pkg/debian/changelog
+++ b/pkg/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+weewx (4.5.0a1-1) unstable; urgency=low
+ * new upstream release
+ -- Thomas Keffer (Author of weewx) Mon, 15 Mar 2021 14:50:42 -0700
weewx (4.4.0-1) unstable; urgency=low
* new upstream release
-- Thomas Keffer (Author of weewx) Sat, 30 Jan 2021 10:52:17 -0800
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index befb6a13..2c0c4f4c 100755
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ from distutils.command.install_lib import install_lib
from distutils.core import setup
from distutils.debug import DEBUG
-VERSION = "4.4.0"
+VERSION = "4.5.0a1"
if sys.version_info < (2, 7):
log.fatal('WeeWX requires Python V2.7 or greater.')
diff --git a/weewx.conf b/weewx.conf
index f0b8de60..3721cb09 100644
--- a/weewx.conf
+++ b/weewx.conf
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ log_failure = True
socket_timeout = 20
# Do not modify this. It is used when installing and updating weewx.
-version = 4.4.0
+version = 4.5.0a1
##############################################################################