Another burst of winter weather is on the way this week. Here’s what to expect
Keep that snow shovel handy. Forecasters are predicting another 1 to 4 inches of snow for the D.C. region Friday to end a workweek that began with the most significant snowfall the area has seen in two years.
The snow is expected to start coming down early in the morning, according to 7News First Alert Chief Meteorologist Veronica Johnson.
“Low snowfall amounts, high impacts to area roads, that’s going to be all day Friday, even going in to Saturday morning with lower temperatures expected,” Johnson said. “By 5 a.m., we’ll have snow falling around the area the way it’s looking now and continuing until 8 p.m. That’s when the snow will end. … Again, we’re expecting between 1 and about 4 inches of snowfall.”
Johnson said the snow will start tapering, though, around 2 p.m.
The National Weather Service is predicting 1 inch of snow for D.C., with suburbs to the north and west getting more accumulation.
D.C. has a 24% chance to see more than 2 inches of snow, according to the NWS, and just a 1% chance of more than 4 inches. Frederick County, Maryland, meanwhile, has a 53% chance of more than 2 inches. In Oakland, Maryland, the NWS predicts there’s a 50% chance of more than 8 inches.
The snow will pile on top of remnants of Monday’s snowstorm, which brought 2-6 inches of accumulation to the area. The District got around 4 inches Monday, but some parts of Fairfax County, Virginia, and Montgomery County, Maryland, topped 5 inches.
A notable amount of that snow has stuck around due to cold temperatures that moved in after the snowfall, and Friday’s system will be no different.
“Blustery conditions all weekend long with highs in the mid 20s Saturday, lower 30s for Sunday,” Johnson said. “Wind chill temperatures Saturday — grab those gloves and something warm again — single digits all day long.”
The cold temps Saturday could create another “hard freeze,” and bring more difficult conditions for D.C. area drivers to end the week.
Full forecast
THURSDAY:
Becoming cloudy
Highs: 35-40
Winds: Southwest 5-10 mph
Temperatures will climb above 32 downtown (for the first time since Sunday evening!) after noon. Any early morning sun will fade behind the clouds, as our next weather maker approaches. It will remain dry throughout the day and this evening.
THURSDAY NIGHT:
Cloudy, snow showers developing
Highs: 27-32
Winds: Northeast 5 mph
Snow showers will develop from west to east with snow inside the Beltway by 4 a.m. Temperatures will be around freezing, so the snow will stick to the ground and any untreated road surfaces. Plan for delays and closures Friday with light snow impacting the morning commute.
FRIDAY: WINTER ALERT
Snow likely
Highs: 31-36
Winds: Northeast 5-10 mph
Plan for delays and closures with light snow during the morning commute. Light snow will continue through the midafternoon with snow tapering off between 3 and 4 p.m. Accumulations will be around 1″ in D.C. Areas north and west of the District could see 2-3″ of snow by day’s end.
SATURDAY: COLD ALERT
Highs: 22-29
Winds: Northwest 15-20 mph, gusts up to 30 mph
Cold and blustery weather will kick off the weekend. Wind chills will start off in the single digits and will only climb into the low teens by the afternoon. Wind chills will fall back into the single digits for your nighttime plans, so dress warmly if you will be outdoors.
LOOKING AHEAD: A pattern change is expected next week with high temperatures Tuesday back into the upper 40s with highs in the upper 50s by the end of the week.