Snow showers, bitter cold temperatures Thursday across DC region

It will be a cold and blustery Thursday across the Washington, D.C. region as light snow showers move into the area. A Winter Weather Advisory was in effect for the District, and portions of Maryland, and Virginia earlier in the day.  Some areas could see total snow accumulations of about an inch.

The back edge of the winter weather system, which brought significant snow to areas further south, is bringing the cold temperatures and windy conditions to our area. Daytime highs will struggle to surpass the freezing mark.

While only light flurries are anticipated on Thursday, anything that falls is likely to stick to untreated roadways and sidewalks. "If it comes down hard enough, for even 15 or 20 minutes, it may try to stick to some of the roads and some of the sidewalks as it comes through. So, because of that, we have a Winter Weather Advisory," says FOX 5’s Tucker Barnes.

School closings, delays in DC, Maryland, Virginia for Thursday, February 20

Morning commute hazards

The advisory covers the morning commute, which could turn hazardous due to slippery road conditions.

The storm system from Wednesday is now fading offshore after being pushed out to sea. Although the storm only brought a trace of snow to the immediate Washington, D.C. region, it resulted in significant accumulations in parts of Virginia and ice in areas of North Carolina.

Storm's regional impact

The National Weather Service reported snowfall rates of up to 2 inches per hour in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia and in northeastern North Carolina.

Virginia State Police reported 275 accidents by late Wednesday afternoon, including at least two dozen involving injuries. Accidents also closed portions of Interstate 95 and I-85 near Raleigh, North Carolina.

Nearly 5,600 flights were canceled or delayed across the U.S., including more than 400 in and out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, according to the flight-tracking site FlightAware.com.

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Snow showers, bitter cold temperatures Thursday across DC region

The Source: The National Weather Service and the FOX 5 Weather Team

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