John Matthews
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON — If it wasn't such a busy travel day, Wednesday's expected rain/snow storm might be a welcome conversational event. For now though, a day in advance, the 1- to-3 inch forecast is more of something to stress over, even as the storm shows signs of being less-than-likely to draw a "mageddon" or "pocalypse" suffix.
The latest models being used to forecast the event generally show precipitation arriving before dawn Wednesday in the form of rain, before switching over during the morning to snow, especially in areas north and west of the I-95 corridor. With models now showing precipitation ending as early as 1 or 2 pm Wednesday, the event may actually end before much more than an inch or two can fall to the ground.
As of 6 am Tuesday, there are no winter weather advisories posted for the immediate Washington area, though the outer suburbs north and west of town are now under a Winter Storm Watch. Counties including Frederick, MD and Loudoun could see several inches of snow as the storm tracks further west and in higher elevations.
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Here is the latest Winter Storm Watch posted by the National Weather Service:
WASHINGTON-FREDERICK MD-CARROLL-NORTHERN BALTIMORE-HARFORD-
AUGUSTA-ROCKINGHAM-SHENANDOAH-FREDERICK VA-PAGE-WARREN-CLARKE-
NELSON-ALBEMARLE-GREENE-MADISON-RAPPAHANNOCK-LOUDOUN-
NORTHERN FAUQUIER-HAMPSHIRE-MORGAN-BERKELEY-JEFFERSON-HARDY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…HAGERSTOWN…FREDERICK…WESTMINSTER…
STAUNTON…WAYNESBORO…HARRISONBURG…WINCHESTER…FRONT ROYAL…
CHARLOTTESVILLE…WASHINGTON…LEESBURG…WARRENTON…
MARTINSBURG…CHARLES TOWN…MOOREFIELD
407 AM EST TUE NOV 25 2014
…WINTER STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY MORNING
THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON…
* PRECIPITATION TYPE…SNOW.
* ACCUMULATIONS…POTENTIAL FOR FIVE INCHES OR MORE.
* TIMING…WEDNESDAY MORNING THROUGH WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON.
* TEMPERATURES…UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S ABOVE 1000 FEET. LOWER TO
MIDDLE 30S BELOW 1000 FEET.
* WINDS…BECOMING NORTHWEST AROUND 10 MPH WITH GUSTS 15 TO 20 MPH.
* IMPACTS…ROADS MAY BECOME SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY…
INCLUDING INTERSTATES 81…70…83…66 AND 64. THIS MAY HAVE
A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT ON HOLIDAY TRAVEL PLANS FOR WEDNESDAY.
HEAVY AMOUNTS OF WET SNOW MAY CAUSE DOWNED TREES THAT LEAD TO
AN ENHANCED THREAT FOR POWER OUTAGES.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT
SNOW…SLEET…OR ICE ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL.
CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.
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