The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for the area surrounding the nation’s capital until 4 p.m. EST Monday. The storm packing heavy snow was blowing into the nation’s capital closing government offices and schools with as much as 10 inches (25 centimeters) of snow expected. As reported by the AP:
Travel is expected to be very difficult because of the hazardous conditions, the weather service said
A winter storm packing heavy snow was blowing into the nation’s capital on Monday, closing government offices and schools. As much as 10 inches (25 centimeters) of snow was forecast for the District of Columbia, northern Virginia, and central Maryland through the afternoon.
The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for the area until 4 p.m. EST Monday. Wind gusts of up to 35 mph (56 kph) were forecast, and travel was expected to be very difficult because of the hazardous conditions, the weather service said.
“The timing of this isn’t great,” said National Weather Service meteorologist David Roth. “For the D.C. area, it’s morning rush hour. At least for places to the northeast, it’ll be closer to midday.”
More than half the flights were delayed or cancelled Monday morning at Ronald Reagan National Airport, Baltimore/Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport, according to FlightAware.com’s misery map. A quarter of the flights at New York’s three major airports were delayed or cancelled as well.
The Weather Prediction Center said 2 inches (5 centimeters) of snow per hour could fall in some areas, and thunder snow was possible. Localized snowfall totals could reach 10 inches (25 centimeters).
Snow began falling Sunday night in parts of Alabama, Kentucky, and Tennessee. The weather service said as much as 6 inches of snow fell in north Alabama, where authorities reported multiple roads were blocked because of icy spots and wrecks, and businesses, schools and government offices delayed opening until mid-morning to allow time for temperatures to rise above freezing.
Authorities across Virginia and Maryland were reporting numerous crashes and treacherous roads. The Virginia State Police urged people to stay off the roads and travel only, if necessary, after responding to 82 traffic crashes as of 8 a.m., as people drove too fast in slick conditions.
The largest snowfall total reported in the Baltimore-Washington region on Monday morning was in Virginia’s Augusta County, where a trained spotter in Greenville reported 4 inches, according to the weather service.
Maryland State Police, meanwhile, said that it had responded to nine crashes, three disabled vehicles and 57 calls for service well before the heaviest snow fell. Flooding made some roads dangerous in North Carolina.
The winter storm warning was in effect from northern Alabama and southern Tennessee through Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina and West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland. By early Monday, more than 500,000 customers were without power.
In Washington, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management announced that federal offices in the area would be closed on Monday. Emergency employees and telework employees were expected to keep working, the OPM said on its website.
Many COVID-19 testing, and vaccination sites were closed in Virginia and in Maryland due to the weather.
Multiple school districts in the region said they would be closed, delayed, or have virtual learning Monday. DC Public Schools said students and staff wouldn’t be returning to school until Thursday.
Source AP
Reporter Julie Walker contributed from New York.
