UPDATED: Wind Chill Advisory Issued

(Updated at 10:55 p.m.) Arlington County is under a Wind Chill Advisory throughout the day Thursday and much of Friday morning.

Wind chills are expected to fall below zero tonight, creating dangerous conditions for anybody spending time outside without proper clothing.

From the National Weather Service:

… WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 10 AM EST FRIDAY…

* WIND CHILL… 0 TO 10 DEGREES BELOW ZERO TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. WIND CHILLS ON THURSDAY NIGHT ARE EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE 5 TO 15 BELOW ZERO RANGE.
* TEMPERATURES… LOWS TONIGHT IN THE SINGLE DIGITS. HIGHS THURSDAY IN THE MID TO UPPER TEENS. LOWS THURSDAY NIGHT WILL DROP INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS AND SUB-ZERO VALUES.
* WINDS… WEST 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH… WITH GUSTS SUBSIDING TO 15 TO 25 MPH THURSDAY NIGHT.
* IMPACTS… THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS AND COLD TEMPERATURES TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY MAY RESULT IN DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS THAT CAN QUICKLY 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.

Forecasters are also warning of icy conditions on local roadways.

… PATCHES OF ICE POSSIBLE ON ROADS OVERNIGHT…

WHERE WIND IS NOT ABLE TO DRY OUT ROADWAYS WHERE SNOW FELL EARLIER… PATCHES OF ICE WILL DEVELOP TONIGHT ON UNTREATED ROADS AS TEMPERATURES FALL WELL BELOW FREEZING. IN ADDITION… THE GUSTY WINDS MAY BLOW THE FLUFFY SNOW THAT FELL TODAY BACK ACROSS ROADWAYS.

PLEASE USE EXTRA CAUTION IF TRAVELING. REDUCE SPEED AND STAY ALERT FOR PATCHES OF ICE AND SLICK ROAD CONDITIONS.

Earlier tonight, a snow squall threatened to cause problems for commuters during the evening rush hour. The squall weakened as it approached the area, and only resulted in a brief period of snow in Arlington that produced little or no delays.

Our original coverage of that, after the jump.

Earlier: Forecasters say a line of heavy snow that’s expected to make its way through the region this evening may cause big problems during the evening rush hour.

The snow squall is expected to reduce visibility and make roads snow-covered and slick as commuters are trying to make their way home. After the snow stops, temperatures are expected to fall.

From the National Weather Service:

…HAZARDOUS TRAVELING CONDITIONS EXPECTED LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT…

A LINE OF HEAVY SNOW SHOWERS WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA LATE THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. THROUGH 700 PM EXPECT SNOW SQUALLS AND GUSTY CONDITIONS AS A COLD FRONT MOVES THROUGH.

BURSTS OF HEAVY SNOW COULD PRODUCE A QUICK COATING TO AN INCH OF SNOW ACCUMULATION IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME. VISIBILITIES WILL QUICKLY BE REDUCED TO A QUARTER MILE OR LESS. WHITEOUT CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED WITH SNOW SQUALLS IN SOME AREAS.

TRAVELERS ACROSS THE REGION ARE ADVISED TO USE EXTREME CAUTION. BE PREPARED FOR RAPIDLY CHANGING CONDITIONS. BURSTS OF HEAVY SNOW WITH SUDDEN VISIBILITY RESTRICTIONS COULD MAKE FOR DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS.

AFTER THE FRONT MOVES THROUGH THIS EVENING…VERY COLD AIR WILL MOVE INTO THE MID-ATLANTIC. THE VERY COLD AIR WILL ALLOW ANY SNOW OR SLUSH ON AREA ROADS TO FREEZE…RESULTING IN ICY CONDITIONS. WIND CHILLS WILL QUICKLY FALL INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS THIS EVENING.

Also complicating tonight’s commute: an accident that’s causing significant delays on the northbound GW Parkway as of 5:05 p.m.