Weather

NWS Warns of Dangerously Cold, Windy Weather

Arlington County and the surrounding D.C. area is under a Wind Chill Advisory this morning and a High Wind Watch starting Saturday night.

The National Weather Service says frigid temperatures — 15 degrees as of 7:30 a.m. — combined with wind gusts up to 30 miles per hour will make being outside potentially hazardous this morning.

… WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM EST THIS MORNING…

* WIND CHILL… AROUND 5 BELOW ZERO THROUGH MID-MORNING TODAY.
* TEMPERATURES… LOW TO MIDDLE TEENS THIS MORNING.
* WINDS… NORTHWEST 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 30 MPH.
* IMPACTS… THE COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS AND COLD TEMPERATURES MAY CAUSE HYPOTHERMIA AND FROST BITE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE LOW WIND CHILLS. THIS WILL RESULT IN FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. IF YOU MUST VENTURE OUTDOORS… MAKE SURE YOU WEAR A HAT AND GLOVES.

From Saturday evening through Sunday morning, meanwhile, the area will be under a High Wind Watch. Damaging wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour are possible.

From the NWS:

… HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND WATCH… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING.

* TIMING… NORTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE BEHIND A STRONG COLD FRONT SATURDAY EVENING THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING.
* WINDS… POSSIBLE 60 MPH NORTHWEST GUSTS.
* IMPACTS… DOWNED TREES… POWERLINES… AND MINOR STRUCTURAL DAMAGE. DRIVING HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES IN THESE CONDITIONS IS DANGEROUS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A HIGH WIND WATCH MEANS THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A DAMAGING HIGH WIND EVENT. SUSTAINED WINDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH… OR GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR STRONGER MAY OCCUR. PREPARE FOR POWER OUTAGES. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.