Update, 2:40 p.m. Wednesday: The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory, in effect from 6 p.m. Wednesday evening to 11 a.m. Thursday.
Winds are expected to be from the Northwest at 20-30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.
Should you lose electricity, here are the numbers to report outages:
- Dominion Virginia Power: 1-866-DOM-HELP (1-866-366-4357), TTY 711.
- Northern Virginia Electric Cooperative (NOVEC): 1-888-335-0500 or 703-335-0500, TTY 711.
Other tips to consider:
- Take care driving high profile vehicles.
- Secure outdoor furniture.
- If you have a police, fire or medical emergency, call 9-1-1. For non-emergency needs, call 703-691-2131.
- If you have downed trees, here’s a resource list of who to call.
Original story:
Technically, Spring begins March 20. But temperatures will be “Springlike,” touching 70 by early afternoon. Then Northern Virginia revisits winter.
Wednesday afternoon will see rain and win with gusts up to 40 miles per hour.
Then the temperatures will fall fast. The National Weather Service says it will be in the low 20s overnight, with a slight chance of snow showers after midnight.
Get your winter coat out again Thursday: the highs will be in the low 30s.
Temperatures return to the 50s and 60s for Friday and the weekend.
Northern Virginia residents are urged to take part in a statewide tornado drill Tuesday at 9:45 a.m.
The Fairfax County Office of Emergency Management says the drill is an important safety exercise in an effort to remain safe should tornado strike.
While not commonly considered “tornado country,” Virginia has had 70 since 2011, including one in Reston. In total, they have caused more than $3 million in damage.
The National Weather Service will be testing its alert system as part of the drill. When the drill begins, immediately protect yourself by going to a designated shelter-in-place or to the center of an interior room on the lowest level away from corners, windows, doors, and outside walls, Fairfax County emergency managers say.
The Virginia Department of Emergency Management has these tips on organizing a drill in your home or office as well as information on how to spot the signs of a tornado.
Find more information on the Statewide Tornado Drill or additional drill resources at the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM). Find more information on tornadoes from FEMA at http://www.ready.gov/tornadoes.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe has designated March 11 as Tornado Preparedness Day in Virginia.
Update, Tuesday 5:20 p.m. — Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has declared a state of emergency for Virginia. This an authorizes state agencies to be ready to assist local governments in responding to the major snow storm that is forecast to hit the Commonwealth Wednesday.
Update, Tuesday 9:30 a.m. — Current forecasting models say as little as three inches or as many as 20 may fall in the Metro D.C. area. The Washington Post’s Capital Weather Gang breaks it down.
Original story:
The biggest snowstorm of the season may be on the way for Northern Virginia.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the area from Wednesday evening through Thursday evening.
The event could bring as much as five or more inches of snow. The NWS expects to update the forecast Tuesday, and Reston Now will report any changes.
Here is the full forecast from the NWS:
… WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING.
* PRECIPITATION TYPE… SNOW AND SLEET
* ACCUMULATIONS… THE POTENTIAL FOR 5 OR MORE INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET.
* TIMING… SNOW IS EXPECTED TO MOVE IN FROM THE SOUTH WEDNESDAY EVENING. SNOW MAY MIX WITH SLEET AND RAIN LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. THE SNOW COULD BE HEAVY AT TIMES WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY.
* TEMPERATURES… IN THE MID TO UPPER 20S 20S WEDNESDAY NIGHT… SLOWLY RISING INTO THE LOWER AND MIDDLE 30S THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
* WINDS… NORTH 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.
* IMPACTS… ROADS MAY BECOME SNOW AND SLEET COVERED AND SLIPPERY. TRAVEL MAY BE DANGEROUS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. HEAVY WET SNOW COULD LEAD TO SOME POWER OUTAGES.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.
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Weather experts are not sure exactly how the epic storm rumor for Feb. 9 got started. They only know they are trying to stop it.
A little over a week ago, weather buzz began to build calling for an epic storm this weekend — as much as 20 to 30 inches on the East Coast.
The may have begin, as many do, on Facebook.
The Capital Weather Gang’s Jason Samenow says he first saw the forecast on Facebook on Jan. 29, when the page run by Weatherboy Weather said the European Model showed the blizzard formation.
Samenow says Weatherboy Weather admitted he did not trust the model — but it was too late. The radar picture he posted was shared countless times and the the rumor spread, well, like a blizzard.
“The same forecast independently ended up on The Delmarva Firefighter Forums Facebook page and was shared over 41,000 times,’ Samenow points out.
Upon further review, it turned out the image was an alternative version of the European model called a control run, not the real thing – and represented 10 days worth of snow, Samenow writes.
Many meteorologists have reposted the picture to Facebook, some drawing a big black “x” over it, to spread the world it is false. They are also reminding readers that forecasts cannot be made 10 days out — and to get your weather information from trusted sources like the National Weather Service.
The NWS said that the forecast was “nonsense then and it is nonsense now.” In fact, the hundreds of inquiries the NWS had to field prevented staffers from doing its job during Wednesday’s very real East Coast snowstorm.
To review: No big storm this weekend in Reston or the rest of the Mid-Atlantic/East Coast. The forecast here is for snow flurries to a dusting on Saturday and Sunday.
Freezing rain may be on the way for the Reston area overnight.
The National Weather Service has issued a freezing rain advisory for the area from 7 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday.
The advisory calls for up to 1/10 of an inch of accumulation. That may not sound like a lot, but a coating of freezing rain/ice can wreak havoc with roads and schools.
The NWS says precipitation will change to all rain Wednesday morning as air temperatures rise above freezing.
A freezing rain advisory means that periods of freezing rain will cause travel difficulties, so residents should be prepared for slippery roads, the NWS said.
Dulles International and Reagan National airports are open, and operations are normal.
An approaching winter weather system will impact scheduled flights to and from the Washington, D.C. area this evening and Wednesday. Passengers should check the status of these flights directly with their airline.
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority says it expects widespread flight cancellations between 8 p.m. tonight and 12:00 p.m. Wednesday. Consult directly with your airline about flight status and rebooking options. MWAA said Reagan National should not have as much of an impact locally, but delays may be affected from weather in other cities.
Reston Now will update this story with any hazardous roads or school closures.
It’s Groundhog Day! Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow, which means six more weeks of winter — starting with some possible snow accumulation late Sunday to early Monday.
The Weather Channel is predicting that Northern Virginia will see the edge of a winter storm that will affect the Midwest and East Coast. But with temperatures around 50 the last fews days, the ground might be too warm to collect much accumulation.
The DC area will be right on the rain-show line of the storm. The Capitol Weather Gang predicts there will be several hours of precipitation on Monday. That could mean heavy rain — or it could mean up to three inches of snow in Reston. Nearby Loudoun and Montgomery Counties are under a winter storm watch.
Either way, be prepared for a soggy commute. Reston Now will update this story later Sunday if the forecast gets more specific.
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is encouraging Virginians to prepare for a potentially disruptive early-season winter storm that will affect the Commonwealth this Sunday.
Exact impacts are still somewhat uncertain depending on whether most of the precipitation is rain, snow or freezing rain, the governor said. Virginians should make preparations now for possible power outages, that could be lengthy if large amounts of ice accumulate on power lines and trees, as well as unsafe road conditions, McDonnell said at a Friday storm briefing in Richmond.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the Washington area that will run from Sunday morning through Monday morning. The NWS says snow and sleet will change over to freezing rain Sunday afternoon. The freezing rain is expected to last until Sunday night or Monday morning, but will then change to rain
In the Washington area, 1 to 2 inches of snow and sleet may fall, and a quarter-inch or more of ice accumulation is possible, the NWS said.
“It might be warm today, but the weather in the Commonwealth is about to take a major change for the worse,” McDonnell said.
“With this forecast in mind, I ask all Virginians to take the necessary precautions today to ensure they are prepared for any possible losses of power during a cold weather period. Please check your batteries, flashlights, and lanterns. Power your mobile communications devices now and make sure they are fully charged. And, as always, please check on your elderly or house-bound neighbors, family, and friends in particular to ensure they are ready for this storm and any possible inconveniences or interruptions that may result.”
