Update at 12:30 p.m. — The National Weather Service reports 3.3 inches of snow accumulation in Ballston as of about 12:20 p.m.
Earlier: It’s a winter wonderland out there, but most roads remain passable.
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Weather
(Updated at 5:20 p.m.) Arlington Public Schools will be closed Wednesday due to expected snow and ice.
The school system made the call at 5 p.m. Tuesday, shortly after a similar announcement from Fairfax County Public Schools.
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The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for Arlington and surrounding areas.
Five or more inches of snow could fall, in addition to a potential quarter inch of ice, between Tuesday and Wednesday nights, forecaster say. The storm will likely disrupt travel and cause school and work delays and cancellations.
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Update at 10 p.m. — Snow is falling across Arlington. The federal government is opening on a two hour delay, OPM announced. Arlington County government is currently planning to open on time.
Update at 6:50 p.m. — Arlington Public Schools is planning to open on a two hour delay Monday due to “possible icing conditions.”
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A small burst of snow could result in big problems during Friday morning’s commute.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Friday morning. Less than an inch of snow is likely, but very cold temperatures mean that whatever falls is likely to stick on local roads.
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(Updated at 8:15 a.m.) Arlington public schools are opening on a two-hour delay Wednesday, due to expected icy conditions.
APS announced the delay Tuesday night “based on the current weather forecast and conditions,” leaving open the possibility that worse-than-expected road conditions Wednesday could prompt a cancellation. Fairfax County Public Schools announced earlier that its schools would be closed tomorrow.
After a day of nervous anticipation that saw most schools and government facilities close early today, the snow is now here — and so is the traffic.
Very heavy traffic has been reported on I-395, Washington Blvd and parts of the GW Parkway, as long as in the Rosslyn area, as commuters try to get home early before the streets turn slippery.
Rain will turn to snow Tuesday afternoon, just in time to potentially cause problems for the drive home.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory ahead of the wintry precipitation, warning of “hazardous conditions” during the evening commute. The snow will be followed by plummeting temperatures that will turn wet spots into icy patches for the Wednesday morning commute.
Arlington County and surrounding areas are under both a Flood Watch and a Wind Advisory Thursday, as a front brings heavy rain and strong winds to the region.
About 1-2 inches of rain is expected to fall, potentially causing flooding in low-lying areas and along streams and creeks.
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Update at 2:15 p.m. — “Please plan to leave work early today,” VDOT’s Northern Virginia office said via Twitter this afternoon.
Folks— we need to get safety-stern with you now. Pls plan to leave work early today. This storm will definitely impact rush hour. Don’t assume a smaller accumulation won’t cause problems. Our plows need room to roll to be able to properly clear roads. pic.twitter.com/wZasjfu5sm
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Three days out from one of the D.C. region’s biggest snowstorms in years, Arlington officials say they’ve managed to clear most streets and county-controlled sidewalks — but the frigid temperatures of the last few nights have led to some trouble spots.
Since this weekend’s big storm, county workers have been able to clear the vast majority of highly trafficked roads, and many neighborhood streets as well. But Katie O’Brien, a spokeswoman for the county’s Department of Environmental Services, told ARLnow that snow plows are still on the road today (Wednesday) “to address areas that need additional treatment.”
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(Updated at 2:25 p.m.) The snowflakes have finally stopped falling, and now Arlingtonians are starting to dig out from the first big snow storm of the new year.
With county schools and offices all closed (to say nothing of the federal government), traffic is light on area roads and highways. All Arlington Department of Parks and Recreation facilities have also since been closed, and all programs cancelled.