How many inches of snow equals one inch of rain?
WASHINGTON - A weekend winter storm that’s expected to bring significant snow accumulations to parts of Maryland and Virginia will bring mostly rain to the immediate D.C. metro area.
But if the conditions were slightly different, all that rain would have brought the nation’s capital a substantial snowfall.
Winter Storm Watches, Warnings for Maryland & Virginia ahead of weekend snow
Winter Storm Watches and Warnings have been issued for portions of Maryland and Virginia as a developing weekend storm that’s expected to bring significant snow accumulations to areas north and west of the nation’s capital moves in our direction.
FOX 5’s Tucker Barnes says we’re expecting approximately an inch of rain Saturday in the District. If that same amount of rain were to have fallen as snow, we could be looking at between 6 and 10 inches of accumulation, he said.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the rain to snow ratio can vary from two inches for sleet to nearly fifty inches for very dry, powdery snow under certain conditions.
"This snow event is like the Commanders’ season," Tucker said. "It starts promising and ends with a thud!"
Expected snow accumulations in Washington, D.C., Maryland & Virginia
Snow forecast: Here’s what DC, Maryland & Virginia can expect from this weekend’s winter storm
A weekend winter storm that could potentially bring significant snow accumulations to the mountains north and west of the nation’s capital will likely only leave a trace behind in the Washington, D.C. metro area before transitioning to rain. Here's how much snow parts of the region could see as the storm moves through.
While that’s definitely the case in the District, parts of Maryland and Virginia to the north and west of the city could see upwards of five inches of snow and one-quarter inch of ice.
But be patient, winter weather lovers! Tucker says there are indications that a more wintry pattern could commence in the nation’s capital by the end of January!