Up to 8 inches of snow are expected to fall Thursday, as cold air moves in and rain turns to sleet and snowflakes.
Arlington road crews — about 50 trucks total — are expected to start a “full team effort” to plow and treat roads at midnight, according to a Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman.
Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services says they will have all 50 of their snow-clearing trucks ready to clear Arlington’s 974 lane miles of roadway. So far, the department does not have an estimate for when crews will be able to move from clearing main roads to residential streets.
“We are closely monitoring the weather and will have our full resources (approximately 50 trucks) available,” said DES spokeswoman Shannon Whalen McDaniel. “The actual amount of snow that falls and the duration of the event (how long it falls) will dictate when our trucks can move from Phase 2 of clearing Primary Routes to Phase 3 – Residential Streets. We will notify the community when we shift phases.”
Update at 11:15 a.m. — The previous Winter Weather Advisory has been upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning.
Forecasters warn that sleet and freezing rain will continue through the day. Slippery conditions are already being reported around Arlington. If you absolutely must drive or walk outside today, do so carefully.
Many main roads were treated before the snow fell, making for an easy commute earlier this morning. The Arlington Public Schools cancellation and the federal government’s two hour delay resulted in much lighter traffic than usual.
As the snow has continued to fall throughout the morning commute, some neighborhood streets are now reported to be slick.
(Updated at 8:35 a.m.) Arlington Public Schools are closed Thursday.
APS made the call at 6:00 this morning, joining Alexandria, Fairfax County and numerous other local school systems that decided to close due to snow and poor road conditions.
Forecasters are only calling for 1-2 inches of snow, but even that could cause havoc because it is expected to be at its heaviest during the morning commute.
From NWS:
Drivers and pedestrians alike should be on the lookout for ice this morning as the temperature dips back below freezing.
Forecasters say slippery conditions are likely. From the National Weather Service.
Update at 6:10 p.m. — A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for Arlington and the D.C. area.
.. WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST SUNDAY…
Arlington Public Schools will open on a two hour delay Friday morning, due to dangerously cold temperatures.
APS sent the following email Thursday night.
(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.
The snow squall will be followed by an arctic cold front that may produce record low temperatures Thursday and Friday.
From the National Weather Service:
“All Arlington Public Schools and Offices will be closed on Tue, Feb. 17,” APS said in an email. “Essential personnel are to report to work at their scheduled time. Extracurricular activities, interscholastic games, team practices, field trips, adult and community education classes, and programs in schools and on school grounds are canceled.”
All APS pools will also be closed on Tuesday.
