John Matthews
WMAL.com
WASHINGTON — (WMAL) The D.C. area is bracing for its first major winter storm of the year, and it’s even getting in some early practice with school delays.
With temperatures dropping down to the single digits in the outer suburbs, public schools in Prince William, Loudoun and Fauquier Counties announced they are opening two hours late Tuesday, because of the cold. The extra time will be used to get buses running and schools heated for students. In addition, Fairfax Christian School is opening two hours late Tuesday.
A wind chill advisory is in effect for areas north and west of the District until Noon Tuesday. Actual temperatures could drop to as low as zero, with winds gusting as high as 30 miles an hour, creating wind chill readings of 10 to 15 degrees below zero.
The bitter cold should be gone by late in the week, but it’s looking more likely it will be replaced by snow – potentially LOTS of snow.
The National Weather Service is expecting a significant winter storm to spread snowfrom the Mid-Atlantic region northward starting on Friday. Current models suggest significant accumulating snow along and west of the Blue Ridge Mountains, with temperatures rusing above freezing to create a snow/rain line somewhere along the I-95 corridor. The exact placement of that line will determine the severity of the snowfall in the immediate D.C. area.
Stay with WMAL through the week for the latest on this potential – and perhaps, probable – winter storm.
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