Winter weather advisory: More snow for DC, Maryland, Virginia as Arctic air brings another cold blast
WASHINGTON - Snow continued to coat DC, Maryland and Virginia Monday evening and more is expected overnight into Tuesday.
Snowfall rates will increase this evening as heavier bands move up from the south. A steady stream of snow between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. will likely give us an additional 2" to 4" across the area. It's a significant amount that could create dangerous travel conditions for drivers.
All three D.C.-area airports recorded over an inch of snow Monday. DCA recorded 1.8" of snow, breaking a 727 streak since Reagan National Airport, the official measurement station for Washington, D.C., recorded at least an inch of snow. This is the second-longest stretch in D.C. history without an inch of snow, with the 787-day stretch between January 2011 and March 2013 being the record holder.
Crews are working to clear the roads but officials urge caution as slick spots continue to develop throughout the night and early morning.
Several school closures and delays have already been announced as the region braces for more flurries and frigid cold temperatures.
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First things first: You cannot have snow without cold. Perhaps you caught the Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins game over the weekend? From nearly coast to coast, the coldest air mass of the winter season to date has settled in across the county.
The Arctic blast hit the D.C. region Sunday morning in the form of some snow showers and squalls on the leading edge of it. The airport reported a trace of snow, while several suburbs reported coatings on the grass. While the snow quickly faded by the late afternoon, the cold is not going anywhere. High temperatures are likely to stay below 40°F right through early next workweek. In fact, some of the coldest air may not arrive until next weekend. Several mornings are likely to start off in the teens as well.
This is important because one thing that can impact snow totals is melting. With the cold air in place, we are unlikely to lose nearly as much falling snow to ground melt as we usually do, making it more likely that the majority of the region will pick up at least a coating of snow with the coming event.
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One thing that has shifted with this event has been the timing. While originally expected to encompass most of Tuesday, weather computers have been increasing the time at which the snow begins.
In some of our southern suburbs, the snow even started early this morning, though breaks in the snow field are anticipated. Closer to the immediate DC area, light snow is expected to start around or a little after the evening commute hours. However, the bulk of accumulations will come during the late nighttime and overnight hours.
Speaking of accumulations — we do not expect a major event with this particular snow. We believe that most of the region will end up somewhere between 1-3" of snow, with some areas (mostly north of town) picking up 2-4" of snow. This is likely to be a drier variety of snow given the amount of cold air in place.
There is concern that the lightness of the snow and limited moisture with this storm could lead to "dry slots" in the snow field, meaning some areas could end up with less snow than expected. Some models also suggest the snow may end well before dawn on Tuesday, something school systems will likely have their eye on.
Tuesday afternoon hours do look cold and dry, as does much of the middle of the week. Overnight lows will dip into the teens on many nights, keeping the ground frosty cold. Then, all eyes turn to Friday and yet another chance for some snow.
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Early indications are that this Friday's event will be another light one. However, pattern analysis does suggest that it does have a bigger potential if a few things get straightened out in the atmosphere.
The one thing that is really keeping it from being a larger and more impactful storm is a feature known as an upper-level tough, swinging across the country, Right now, it is aligned in such a way that would keep the developing storm farther offshore.
If this were to change, there is the chance the storm could develop closer to the coast and also strengthen faster. Both of these things would lead to greater snowfall in our region. This is something that forecasters will have a close eye on throughout the course of this week. Just make sure Friday is on your radar for DC's potential net snow event.
After the upcoming cold weekend ahead, the weekend will remain quite cold. Saturday could be the coldest day of the week so far However, heading into the final full week of January, all signs point towards a relaxation of the winter cold taking a break toward the end of the month.
This means that the two events this week will likely be our final chances for measurable snow in DC this month. Do not despair though, snow lovers! Historically during El Nino winters, it is February that typically brings us the greatest risk for snow. We will continue to monitor for future threats!
For those who are looking forward to finally getting some winter weather, enjoy the snow and bundle up for that cold! The FOX 5 Weather Team will continue to update you with the latest.