Winter Storm Warning for Reston Monday-Tuesday

Karen Goff February 16, 2015 at 4:45am

(Updated, Monday, 4:48 p.m.)

Snow began falling in Reston about 3:30 p.m. A total of 4 to 8 inches is expected to fall between Monday afternoon and mid-day Tuesday and the region remains under a Winter Storm Warning until noon on Tuesday.

Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has issued a State of Emergency for the entire commonwealth.

The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is prepared for the snow with nearly 12,000 pieces of equipment, including plows, trucks and motor graders ready for snow removal operations. You can visit VDOTPLOWS.org to see the plowing status of the streets near you.

Reston Now will update this story with any school delays or road closures.

(Original Story, Sunday 8 p.m.) The National Weather Service has changed the Winter Storm Watch for Reston and the rest of the D.C. area to a Winter Storm Warning.

The Winter Storm Warning will be in effect from 4 pm Monday to noon Tuesday. A Wind Chill Advisory remains in effect until 10 am Monday.

The NWS says to expect:

Precipitation type: snow.
Accumulations: 4 to 8 inches.
Timing: Snow is expected to develop late Monday afternoon and continue through Tuesday morning. Heaviest Snow is expected Monday night and early Tuesday morning.
Wind Chill, 5 to 10 below zero tonight and Monday morning.
Temperatures: single digits tonight. Highs in the lower 20s Monday. Temperatures in the teens Monday night and Tuesday morning.
Winds: northwest to 10 to 15 mph overnight. Winds becoming southeast 5 to 10 mph Monday night into Tuesday morning.
Impacts: The combination of gusty winds and cold temperatures will continue to make dangerous wind chills that can quickly cause hypothermia and Frost Bite through Monday morning. Beginning late Monday afternoon, roads will become snow covered and slippery with visibilities being reduced to one half mile or less at times. The combination of snow covered roads and low visibility will make traveling dangerous.

A Winter Storm Warning for heavy snow means severe winter weather conditions are expected or occurring. Significant amounts of snow are forecast that will make travel dangerous. Only Travel in an emergency. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight. Food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.

A Wind Chill Advisory means that very cold air and strong winds will combine to generate low wind chills. This will result in frost bite and lead to hypothermia if precautions are not taken. If you must venture outdoors, make sure you wear a hat and gloves.

Photo: Snow totals forecast for Feb 16-17/Credit: National Weather Service