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DC snow forecast: First significant snowfall of season expected Saturday
A slushy mix of snow could be on the ground by Saturday afternoon as the Washington, D.C. area prepares for its first significant snowfall of the season.
WASHINGTON - A slushy mix of snow could be on the ground by Saturday afternoon as the Washington, D.C. area prepares for its first significant snowfall of the season - and possibly the most snow parts of the metro area have seen over the last two years.
The weekend storm will mostly be a Saturday event, says FOX 5’s Tucker Barnes. The storm will likely develop late Friday and sneak into the area overnight Saturday before making a quick exit by Sunday.
READ MORE: Early snowfall expected Saturday before shift to rain across DC region
Tucker said a quick burst of snow will likely hit the District by late morning Saturday before transitioning to mostly rain along the I-95 corridor by the early afternoon hours.
READ MORE: DMV Winter 2023-2024 Outlook: Why we're expecting more snow, chance for blizzards in DC this winter
The best chances for significant snow accumulations will be well north and west of the District. Elevated locations in the mountains may hold onto the snow for most of the day Saturday. Those areas could see some fairly significant snow totals.
As the rain / snow line moves across the District, Tucker anticipates a transition to a chilly rain by sometime around 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon.
READ MORE: DC snow forecast: Chance for first significant winter storm next weekend
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FOX 5 Weather forecast for Wednesday, January 3
Taylor Grenda has the FOX 5 Weather forecast for Wednesday, January 3
READ MORE: DC Snow Forecast: Potential weekend storm likely to bring snow, cold rain, or mix of both
As of Wednesday, Tucker says the American model shows about 1 to 1.6 inches of slushy snow in Washington, D.C. before the transition to rain. That would be the most the D.C. metro area has seen since January 2022 when the District saw a total of 12.3 inches for the month. Only 0.4 inches of snow fell during the entire 2022-23 season.
More details on the expected forecast as we get closer to the weekend.
Wednesday features quiet conditions with a mix of sun and clouds. It will be less windy with cool afternoon temperatures in the 40s.
There will be a slight chance of rain and snow showers on Thursday morning before the sun returns in the afternoon.