
(Updated at 2:45 p.m.) Roads around Arlington are impassible, schools and the federal government are closed, and to make matters worse thousands of homes and businesses are without power throughout Arlington.
Amid the heavy, wet snow — some 6+ inches have fallen so far, with a couple of hours of additional snowfall expected — there have been numerous reports of branches snapping, trees falling and power lines down around the county. In some areas, power lines are sparking or on fire, with snow-laden branches leaning against them.
Among other reports, first responders are on scene of a significant power line fire on Robert Walker Place, near Taylor Elementary, according to scanner traffic. They have asked Dominion crews to expedite their response to the scene.
The fire department has also been dispatched to a report of a tree that fell into a house. Most of the reports of tree damage are in North Arlington neighborhoods.
As of 2:45 p.m., Dominion reported 4,767 outages in Arlington — a number that has been steadily increasing. Of those, about 2,200 are part of a large outage centered around Marymount University’s main campus. Other small outages are spread across the county.
That’s still well below the more than 48,000 homes and businesses that are in the dark in neighboring Fairfax County as of 2:45 p.m., however. In all, Dominion is reporting more than 145,000 outages across Northern Virginia.
Some trees are also reported down across roads, including on N. Glebe Road near Chain Bridge and S. Arlington Ridge Road near Gunston Middle School. Additionally, the Bluemont Junction Trail is blocked by a fallen tree.
Biggest snow in years apparently brought down tree, blocking Bluemont Junction Trail in Arlington, between Illinois and Harrison Streets. ❄️❄️❄️ @ARLnowDOTcom @capitalweather @ArlingtonVA @ArlingtonParks @railstotrails @BikeArlington @WalkArlington pic.twitter.com/kMVd1vhkdQ
— Tom Mockler (@TomMockler) January 3, 2022
Local authorities, including Arlington police, continue to urge people to stay home and off the roads as the flakes keep falling.
As of noon, Arlington snow crews were in “Phase 2” of their response, focused on primary and secondary routes instead of neighborhood streets.
If possible, please stay home and off the roadways to allow crews time to treat roadways. #ARLWX https://t.co/1BtxBiGPdX
— ArlingtonCountyPD (@ArlingtonVaPD) January 3, 2022
Recent Stories

Art House 7‘s spring session will begin on April 10th! We’re offering classes, workshops, and open studios in a wide range of art mediums for all ages, from 4 year olds to adults. We cater to different skill levels in ceramics, embroidery, drawing, and of course, painting – including watercolor, oil, and acrylics. Our Spring 2023 offerings include a Portfolio Development class for high schoolers who are considering a career in the fine arts. This class provides an opportunity to create and develop a strong portfolio for college applications.
We also have some excellent classes for younger students. The “Art and the Pre-K Reader” class is designed for 4-5 year olds, and we offer “Arts and Crafts” classes taught by teens for 2nd-4th and 3rd-5th grade students.
To view our complete class schedule, Spring workshops, open studios, and 3-week classes, please visit our website. Join us this spring to learn, create, and explore with us!

The March NAACP Arlington Branch General Membership Meeting
The March NAACP Arlington Branch General Membership Meeting is focused on Public Safety & Justice. We will hear from Commonwealth’s Attorney Parisa Dehghani-Tafti, Chief Public Defender Brad Haywood, Chief of Police Andy Penn, and Deputy Chief Wayne Vincent. We encourage you to come to this community conversation prepared with questions for our speakers. Registration Required www.arlingtonnaacp.com
Guest Speakers
Singin’ in the Rain
The “Greatest Movie Musical of All Time” is faithfully and lovingly adapted for the stage by Broadway legends, Betty Comden and Adolph Green, from their original award-winning screenplay. Each unforgettable scene, song and dance is accounted for, including the show-stopping
5 Tips for Buying Your Dream Home – A Free…
Are you planning to move in the next 12 months but feeling overwhelmed by the current real estate market’s low inventory and high mortgage rates? Join us for a short seminar where we’ll provide 5 tips to help you find