The D.C. area is bracing for its third snowfall of the year and a bitter cold Thursday night when wind chill temperatures are expected to drop below the teens around the region.
The timing of the snow could slow the Thursday morning commute.
Rain will continue to transition to snow, starting west and moving toward D.C. Expect all snow arriving in the District in the 7 a.m. hour. Slushy to briefly snow-covered roads could be bogged down with traffic very quickly, particularly since rain would prevent crews from pretreating roads.
Weather Stories
Storm Team4 declared a Weather Alert, and a winter weather advisory is in effect in the District, most Northern Virginia counties and Maryland counties like Prince George’s, Montgomery, Anne Arundel and others. Go here for a full list.
Bundle up before you head out the door on Thursday morning. Temperatures will quickly fall to below freezing. Expect a bitterly cold afternoon with northwest winds of 15-25 mph, then feels-like temps in the teens and single-digits by late afternoon and overnight.
Federal agencies in the D.C. area will open on a two-hour delay Thursday with the option of allowing unscheduled leave/telework. D.C. government, however, will open on time, Mayor Muriel Bowser said.
Several school systems in the area have announced they are closed, delayed or doing virtual learning. Here’s a full list of school closures and delays.
The Timeline (And How it Affects Your Morning Commute)
Before 7 a.m.: About half an inch of rainfall, which started late Wednesday night, is expected to melt the snow leftover from the last storm. That means roads will be mostly just wet–until snow starts to fall.
Around 7 or 8 a.m.: It’s snowing, but Storm Team4 Chief Meteorologist Doug Kammerer says above-freezing temperatures will likely prevent significant accumulation on roadways and melt it on contact.
Since it will be raining overnight, road crews will have limited options for pretreating roads. This, combined with the fact that snowplows would be stuck in the morning rush hour, could lead to a very slow commute, and things could get slippery.
The heaviest snow could fall around 8 a.m.
Thursday’s storm is going to be a challenge for road crews just as the morning commute picks up. News4’s Shomari Stone reports on residents’ last-minute preparations taking place overnight.
By noon: The snow moves out, except for a few possible showers in southern parts of the region.
Afternoon: Gusty northwest winds will blow all afternoon and evening lowering wind chills into the teens by 3 or 4 p.m.
Evening: Be prepared for a solid refreeze of any wet or untreated surface tonight. Wind chills are set to be in the single digits during the evening and overnight.
How Much Snow Could We Get Thursday? Here Are Potential Snow Totals
Bitter cold and bone-dry air from the Arctic will limit snowfall potential, Storm Team4 says.
Snow accumulations are expected to be around 1 inch but could approach 2 inches during the 6 to 10 a.m. window.
Since the snow was slow to arrive in the D.C. area, amounts could be under an inch. But if snow hangs around for longer, higher amounts are possible.
Here are the snowfall odds predicted by Storm Team4:
- 80% chance for at least an inch of snow
- 50% chance for 2 inches of snow
- 10% chance for 3 inches of snow or more
Future Forecast
Breezy, arctic air will settle in for the rest of Thursday. Temperatures will start in the 30s, but drop into the 20s in many areas and windchills will fall into the teens as the day goes on.
Friday and Saturday will be below freezing. Windchills on Friday morning could be near 0° in some spots as the coldest air in nearly three years moves in. The high Friday will be a frigid 26°.
A winter storm previously expected on Saturday will skirt our area. Southern Maryland can expect some snow. The next storm chance we’ll see will be on Tuesday.