Snowstorm key points
- Road conditions improved some with daylight but will deteriorate again this evening as temperatures drop and spots that were wet or slushy turn icy.
- Scattered snow showers could be briefly heavy into the early evening and give some locations up to another half-inch or so. Most areas will probably wind up with storm totals of 3 to 6 inches, 1 to 2 inches higher than predicted.
- A few lingering lighter snow showers are possible later in the evening through around midnight. We’ll turn bitterly cold and windy tonight all the way through Saturday night, with wind chills in the single digits and teens, and Saturday highs only reaching the low to mid-20s.
4:15 p.m. — Squally snow showers are moving through; black ice and brutal wind chills are on the way.
Scattered, briefly heavy snow showers or squalls will continue to move across the area from west to east through about 7 p.m., capable of dropping up to another half-inch or so in some spots, and reducing visibility. Thereafter, occasional lighter snow showers remain possible through around midnight with little or no additional accumulation.
Wet and slushy spots will turn to ice on sidewalks and roads as temperatures tumble this evening, so be extremely careful driving or walking. The cold and wind will be legit, with lows tonight and Saturday night in the teens to near 20, highs on Saturday afternoon only in the low to mid-20s, and wind chills in the single digits and teens throughout.
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This will be our last update in this post. Stay tuned for our PM update forecast and a separate article reviewing today’s storm, including a roundup of snowfall totals. Find a few more reader photos below.
2:30 p.m. — Scattered snow showers could add a little more accumulation; watch out for icy spots after sunset.
We have mainly light snow that’s not accumulating in any meaningful way across the area now. A batch of scattered, briefly heavier snow showers will probably move through the region from west to east between 3:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. Localized areas could see another 0.5 inches or so, while some may see little to no additional accumulation.
Next, we turn our attention to temperatures and an icy night ahead. They’ve been around 29 to 31 degrees this afternoon, warm enough for many roads, especially treated main roads, to be mainly just wet. That will change once the sun sets and we drop into the mid- to upper 20s after 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. Side roads’ sidewalks will turn icy first, but icy patches are possible everywhere later in the evening and overnight as temperatures drop into the low and mid-20s.
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Icy patches will continue to be a concern through Saturday as low temperatures bottom in the teens to near 20 late tonight, and Saturday highs may not make it past the mid-20s.
See some more scenes of the snow from our readers below.
1:10 p.m. — Snow is generally easing, but heavier bursts are still possible at times through late afternoon.
The heavy band of snow that swept through the area late this morning has moved off, leaving generally light snow. We could see it pick back up again briefly between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. before a lot of it moves off. But even after that, scattered snow showers could pass intermittently well into tonight. We don’t expect a ton of additional accumulation, but another 0.5 to 1 inch could fall — maybe a bit more in areas that see a heavy burst. Here are some updated totals — 3 to 5 inches are most common:
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- Leesburg, Va.: 5 to 6 inches
- Frederick and Laytonsville, Md.: 5 inches
- Ashburn, Va.: 5 inches
- Dulles Airport: 4.5 inches
- BWI Marshall Airport: 4.1 inches
- Oakton, Burke, Manassas, Hernon and Annandale, Va.: 4 inches
- Silver Spring, Md.: 4 inches
- Fairfax, Va.: 3.6 inches
- Bowie, Md.: 3.6 inches
- Reagan National Airport: 3.3 inches
- Brookland in the District: 3.25 inches
- Capitol Hill in the District: 3 inches
- Centreville, Va.: 3 inches
- Woodbridge, Va.: 2.5 inches
Most places still have freezing temperatures, so untreated roads are slick and covered with snow, but treated roads — especially main arteries — are mainly just wet as road temperatures have climbed above freezing and snowfall has eased.
See some more scenes of the snow from our readers below.
11:30 a.m. — Late-morning burst focuses on immediate area, pushing totals into boom territory
One of the harder aspects to forecast with moisture-limited storm systems such as this is where a narrow band of heavier snow might set up. Late Friday morning, one has developed over the immediate area and is pushing snow totals toward “boom” territory, above 3 or 4 inches. Here are some updated snow totals through around 11 a.m.:
- Leesburg, Va.: 5 inches
- Olney and Columbia, Md.: 4.5 inches
- Darnestown, Md: 4.4 inches
- Rockville, Md.: 3.75 inches
- Northwest Washington near Tenleytown: 3.5 inches
- Bowie, Md.: 3 inches
- Fairfax, Va: 3.1 inches
- Alexandria, Va.: 2.5 inches
This heavier band of snow should progress to the east and northeast, into Washington’s northeastern suburbs over the next hour. Between midday and midafternoon, snow should generally be light but may become briefly moderate at times. Then, after 3 or 4 p.m., we just expect more intermittent snow showers into the evening. But they could be briefly heavy.
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See some more scenes of the snow from our readers below.
10:15 a.m. — Snow is picking back up a bit and will fall at varying intensity over the next several hours
Steady snow continues to fall across the region. It’s generally light but increases to a moderate intensity northwest of the Beltway. We may see the snow ease a bit toward midday and then pick up again for a while this afternoon, although predicting the snow’s intensity at a given place and time is challenging. The general pattern, though, will be for the steadier snow to focus north of the District.
Below, find a model simulation of the snowfall through 1 a.m. Saturday. You’ll note a couple things:
- It suggests snow will lighten for a time toward midday and pick up this afternoon for a time.
- It should taper off in late afternoon; however, the model simulates some snow showers cycling through the region tonight.
This model isn’t perfect; it can only serve as a general guide.
Amid this snow, temperatures are in the upper 20s and low 30s, so untreated roads will remain slick. Crews should be able to keep main arteries passable into the afternoon, but expect lowered visibility at times and the possibility of slick spots during heavier bursts of snow.
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Below find some recent scenes of the snow.
8:35 a.m. — Steadiest snow falling north of District, with mainly light snow elsewhere
After a lull in the snow in and around the District and areas to the south, the snowfall has redeveloped west of Interstate 95 and is shifting eastward. Temperatures are at or below freezing across the area, with upper 20s northwest and low 30s southeast.
While the snow has generally lightened after the pre-dawn burst, it could still pick up in intensity intermittently. Another inch or two could fall through this afternoon, with the highest amounts north of the District. And there could even be some passing snow showers tonight.
This morning’s heavy snowfall affected traffic and travel in the region. The George Washington Parkway was closed in both directions between Spout Run Parkway and Interstate 495, traffic officials said. A ground stop at Ronald Reagan National Airport was lifted at around 8 a.m.
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Main roadways have become increasingly passable since sunrise because the snow has lightened, but less-used routes mostly remain snow-covered and very slick.
Some snow totals so far include:
- 2.1 inches in Alexandria, Va.
- 2.3 inches at Reagan National Airport (6.4 inches this week).
- 2.9 inches in Crofton, Md.
- 3 inches in Damascus, Md.
- 3.1 inches at Dulles Airport (7.5 inches this week).
- 3.5 inches in Columbia, Md.
Justin Moyer contributed to this report. See some photos of the snow shared with us below.
7 a.m. — Snow becoming lighter after coming in fast and furious
If you were up early, the snow was ripping across the entire region, leading to a quick accumulation of 1 to 3 inches in most spots and quickly turning pretty much all roads treacherous. The intensity has now waned, and with the warming benefit of daylight, road crews should be able to get at least the main roads into better shape later this morning into the afternoon.
But lighter and more intermittent snow will continue at times into the afternoon, perhaps adding another inch or two to what’s already fallen, with the highest additional amounts from D.C. to the north and east. When all is said and done, we should be looking at totals of 2 to 5 inches, generally increasing as you go from south to north across the area.
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Should be a fun day for sledding! … once roads are safe to get around to your local hill.
5:35 a.m. — Steady snow quickly covers roads as early accumulations approach or surpass an inch
The snow arrived on schedule around 2 to 3 a.m. in the DMV, quickly covering roads and sidewalks and turning them treacherous with temperatures in the mid-20s to near 30. Steady snow has already accumulated around 1 to 2 inches and counting. We now expect 2 to 5 inches (lowest south, highest north) from this storm across the region, with the heaviest snow falling now through around 9 a.m., then lighter snow at times into the afternoon.
The National Weather Service upgraded the winter weather advisory to a winter storm warning for areas north of D.C. (including Montgomery, Loudoun, Howard, Frederick and Carroll counties) due to the higher snow potential there.
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Here are some early pictures and videos coming in …
Today’s daily digit
A somewhat subjective rating of the day’s weather, on a scale of 0 to 10.
4/10: Another delight for snow lovers, but not great for drivers or commuters.
Express forecast
- Today: Light snow. Highs: Near freezing.
- Tonight: Snow showers possible. Blustery. Lows: Teens to 20.
- Tomorrow: Cold, blustery. Highs: Low to mid-20s.
- Sunday: Sunny, still breezy. Highs: Near 30 to mid-30s.
Forecast in detail
About 1 to 3 inches is our forecast snow accumulation in the region, with a little more possible, seemingly focused on northern suburbs. Both rush hours today may have slippery roads, especially the morning one as snow should be ongoing for much or all of it. The weekend is very cold, with frigid wind chills, before we finally thaw out moving into next week.
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Today (Friday): In the pre-dawn through sunrise period, light to sometimes moderate snow accumulates to around 1 inch, with snow-covered roads likely. Temperatures should be in the 20s to near 30. Mainly light but occasionally moderate snow persists into the afternoon, with snowfall totals ranging from 1 to 3 inches downtown and south, or 2 to 4 inches northward. Some treated main roads may be just wet or slushy with temperatures nearing the 32-degree freezing mark at times. Later in the afternoon, wind gusts near 20 mph from the northwest are possible. Light snow gradually tapers off from west to east late in the day. Confidence: Medium
Tonight: Any evening snow showers slowly taper into the night as skies turn a bit clearer with time. Northwest gusts near 20 mph may continue, blowing in colder air with midteens to near 20 degrees for low temperatures. Wind chills in the single digits or so. Confidence: Medium-High
Follow us on YouTube, Facebook, X, and Instagram for the latest updates. Keep reading for the forecast into next week …
Tomorrow (Saturday): Cold and blustery with wind chills remaining in the single digits and teens. Winds from the west and northwest could gust about 30 mph. High temperatures struggle to reach the low to mid-20s under a mix of sun and clouds. A stray snow flurry or shower is possible. Confidence: Medium-High
Tomorrow night: Wind gusts from the northwest around 25 mph remain possible essentially all night as skies turn mostly clear. Low temperatures probably bottom in the teens for the entire region, with wind chills easily in the single digits. Confidence: Medium-High
Sunday: Wall-to-wall sunshine and blue skies are possible, with an outside chance of a couple of low morning clouds here and there. Don’t let sunshine fool you through the windows, though, with some wind still chilling our near 30 to mid-30s high temperatures. With gusts from the northwest eyeing the 25-mph mark, wind chills may get no warmer than the low 20s. Continue to bundle up. Confidence: Medium-High
A look ahead
Sunday night: Clear skies and light breezes trend downward toward fully calm by dawn. Low temperatures bottom out in the teens throughout the region. Confidence: Medium-High
Sunshine dominates one last day Monday before a possibly prolonged cloudy period heads our way. Light breezes from the south and southwest start transporting above-freezing air into our region as high temperatures eye the mid-30s to low 40s. A small tweak to high temperatures is possible as we get closer and see when and how strong “warmer” breezes shift into the region. Confidence: Medium-High
Slowly increasing clouds are likely Tuesday, with a stray rain shower possible by late afternoon. Light breezes from the southwest continue to pump in milder air, with high temperatures aiming within a few degrees of 45. Our thaw really gets underway. Confidence: Medium
Snow potential index
A daily assessment of the potential for at least 1 inch of snow in the next week, on a 0-10 scale.
- 9/10 (↑): Very reasonable to expect at least an inch of snow accumulating across the region. Looks like about 1 to 3 from downtown southward and 2 to 4 north.
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