John Matthews
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON — (WMAL) If you were hoping for the storm to fizzle, fuggedaboudit.
If anything, the latest computer models are projecting a slight bump in the snow totals this weekend, with a solid 20 to 30 inches now forecast for the region, and a start time that is now zeroing in at around Noon for much of the area, with flakes arriving from southwest to northeast.
Once the snow arrives, conditions are expected to deteriorate quickly. Roads have been mostly pre-treated, but as opposed to Wednesday evening, the flakes will not be stopping short of an inch, and the intensity will only pick up once the snowfall begins.
Here’s the latest blizzard warning from the National Weather Service:
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-PRINCE GEORGES-ANNE ARUNDEL-
NORTHWEST MONTGOMERY-CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MONTGOMERY-
NORTHWEST HOWARD-CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST HOWARD-FAIRFAX-
ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA-WESTERN LOUDOUN-EASTERN LOUDOUN-
249 AM EST FRI JAN 22 2016
…BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO
6 AM EST SUNDAY…
* HAZARD TYPES…HEAVY SNOW AND WIND WITH BLOWING AND DRIFTING
SNOW FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. SLEET MAY MIX
WITH THE SNOW FRIDAY NIGHT INTO SATURDAY MORNING EAST OF
INTERSTATE 95 BEFORE CHANGING BACK TO ALL SNOW BY SATURDAY
AFTERNOON.
* ACCUMULATIONS…SNOW ACCUMULATION OF MORE THAN 2 FEET.
* TIMING…HEAVY SNOW WILL DEVELOP LATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND
CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT. CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO
DETERIORATE FRIDAY AFTERNOON WITH THE HEAVIEST SNOW…
STRONGEST WINDS…AND POTENTIAL LIFE THREATENING CONDITIONS
EXPECTED FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH SATURDAY.
* IMPACTS…HEAVY SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL CAUSE DANGEROUS
CONDITIONS AND WILL BE A THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY. TRAVEL
IS EXPECTED TO BE SEVERELY LIMITED IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE DURING
THE HEIGHT OF THE STORM FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. VISIBILITY
WILL BE REDUCED TO NEAR ZERO AT TIMES IN WHITEOUT CONDITIONS.
* WINDS…NORTH 25 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH.
* TEMPERATURES…IN THE MID 20S.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A BLIZZARD WARNING MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE
EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. FALLING AND BLOWING SNOW WITH STRONG WINDS
AND POOR VISIBILITIES ARE LIKELY. THIS WILL LEAD TO WHITEOUT
CONDITIONS…MAKING TRAVEL EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. DO NOT TRAVEL. IF
YOU MUST TRAVEL…HAVE A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT WITH YOU. IF YOU GET
STRANDED…STAY WITH YOUR VEHICLE. PREPARE FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF
POWER OUTAGES DURING SNOWY AND COLD CONDITIONS.
Stay with WMAL throughout the weekend for continuous coverage of the Blizzard of 2016.
Copyright 2016 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (PHOTO: National Weather Service )
