Arlington Public Schools will be closed Friday, the school system announced tonight.
From APS’ School Talk email:
snow
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We hear that county roads crews have been unable to fully treat some treacherous stretches of roadway this afternoon due to the salt shortage, leaving drivers stranded on hills and frustrating police officers trying to reopen roads where there have been accidents.
Jessica Baxter, spokeswoman for the Dept. of Environmental Services, confirmed the salt shortage in an email to ARLnow.com this evening.
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Today, at 4:30 p.m., at Penrose Square — the corner of Columbia Pike and S. Barton Street — neighbors are being invited to participate in a snowball fight in what could be five or more inches of snow.
Pike resident Chris Slatt put out the call for the fight at just about noon on Twitter as a spur-of-the-moment idea. Over the phone, he told ARLnow.com that it seemed like a good opportunity for the shenanigans, considering schools, the government and many private offices are closed.
Most roads in Arlington are snow-covered as of noon today, as flakes continue to fall.
So far, 2-3 inches of snow accumulation have been reported.
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(Updated at 10:45 a.m.) The snow has started falling and the schools are closed, which means it’s time for winter frolicking.
For some, that means staying in, drinking hot cocoa and catching up on Netflix. For others around Arlington, that means throwing on some snow pants and boots, grabbing a sled and taking to a nearby hill for sledding.
The federal government is closed, and Arlington schools, government offices, courts and facilities are closed today due to expected snow.
Sleet is falling in parts of Arlington as of 7:30, as temperatures continue to fall. Conditions are expected to deteriorate later this morning.
From APS’ “School Talk” email:
“All APS schools and offices will be closed on Thu, Mar. 5. Extracurricular activities, interscholastic games, team practices, field trips, adult education classes, and programs in schools and on school grounds are canceled. For updates about Pool Operations, go to www.apsva.us/aquatics. For information about Arlington County programs and operations go to www.arlingtonva.us.”
Part of the ritual preparation for many includes heading to the grocery store to stock up on food and supplies, in particular milk, eggs, bottled water and bread.
“It’s going to be a freaking zoo in here,” an employee of Clarendon’s Trader Joe’s said, declining to give her name because company policy doesn’t allow staff members to speak to the media.
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.”
Snow Chance Today — Arlington may get some snow, sleet and freezing rain this afternoon. The area is under a Winter Weather Advisory, although forecasters think areas north and west of Arlington are at more of a risk of wintry weather and slippery roads. [Weather.com]
Two Dems Running for School Board — The deadline for candidates seeking the Democratic endorsement for school board was last night and two candidates filed before the deadline: Reid Goldstein and Sharon Dorsey. The Arlington County Democratic Committee will hold its school board caucus on May 14 and 16.
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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.