Is this the storm of the season?

It could be, weather forecasters say. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for Northern Virginia for Wednesday evening and Thursday. The latest storm models Tuesday afternoon say that 8 to 14 inches of snow may fall later this week in the Washington area’s western suburbs such as Reston.

The snow is expected to start falling about 7 p.m. Wednesday and continue through Thursday.

If this forecast holds, this will add to the pattern of the snowiest winter around here in four years. Fairfax County Public Schools have already used up six snow days. The school system builds three snow days into the calendar. FCPS has already announced Feb. 17 (President’s Day) and April 7 (student holiday) will now be school days. It is likely there will be more snow days if more than a few inches fall here.

However, forecasters have gotten it wrong and storms have moved off-course before. Sometimes a storm tracks west or east of the region, and what is predicted to be a blizzard ends up being a dusting. Do you think they are right on the money this time?

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.

After three straight snow days, Fairfax County Public Schools will open on a two-hour delay on Friday, Jan. 24.

From FCPS:

Morning preschool (special education) classes are canceled.

Afternoon preschool (special education) classes start on their regular schedule.

Full-day preschool (special education) and Family and Early Childhood Education Program/Head Start classes start two hours later than the regular schedule.

Morning field trips are canceled.

SACC centers will be open by 7:15 a.m.

Morning transportation for high school academy classes is canceled. Afternoon academy transportation will be provided.

Adult and community education classes will start on time.

FCPS’ primary concern is always student safety when making a decision about opening or delaying schools. In addition to considering information from a range of public safety sources, FCPS transportation supervisors travel the routes our buses would traverse and inspect bus stops and the pathways that will be used by walkers. When there are areas in the county that are considered unsafe or treacherous, schools are closed.

Snow plow crews will continue to work on Northern Virginia streets on Wednesday, but the Virginia Department of Transportation says residents should be patient as conditions are challenging.

Tuesday’s storm dumped about six inches of snow in the area. And while the sun is shining and no snow is falling today, temperatures are in the single digits for now, making ice melter less effective.

VDOT said at the start of the snow season this year it is more prepared than ever to tackle snow removal. Among its new features: high-tech tools to view plowed streets. VDOT said Monday that more than 4,000 pieces of equipment were ready to work on Tuesday’s storm.

To see the status of VDOT plows near you, check VDOTPlows.

VDOT News to know for Wednesday snow removal

I-95/395 reversible HOV lanes will close northbound at 10 a.m. instead of 11 a.m. to allow crews extra time treat ramps and open gates southbound in time for the afternoon rush hour.
Drifting snow and below-freezing temperatures will make even roads that have already been plowed and treated slick. Drivers should use extreme caution, be aware of changing road conditions and use appropriate speeds.

Chemicals used to treat roads become less effective under 20 degrees. Crews continue to plow, treat ice with a mixture of salt and liquid magnesium chloride on interstates, and use a treated sand mix on primary and local roads.

In neighborhoods, park on the odd-numbered side of the street where possible to leave room for the plow to pass.

After a plow has passed, roads will be passable, but will not be bare pavement and may remain snow-packed.
Report road problems to 1-800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623) or [email protected].

Be aware that VDOT is not responsible for many Reston roads. Neither is Reston Association. VDOT plows will hit main roads such as Sunrise Valley Drive and Reston Parkway, as well as some side residential roads.

However, the majority of Reston clusters are contracted with private plow companies. If you live in a private cluster and need information, contact your cluster president or private plowing company.

Obviously, Reston Now has not traveled every road around town. If you see a trouble spot, help out your neighbors and post in the comments below.

Tuesday’s cancellation for Fairfax County Public Schools was the fourth snow day of the 2013-14 school year, so the school system is now in make-up days mode.

According to the FCPS calendar, the first snow makeup day will be Feb. 17, which was scheduled to be the President’s Day holiday for for the school system.

Every year, FCPS  includes three extra days on the academic calendar in the event of closings due to inclement weather. School was canceled on Dec. 9 and 10 for snow, and again on Jan. 7 due to single-digit cold.

Virginia law states that students in public schools must attend classes for 180 days of the year.

With more than six inches of snow expected to fall in Northern Virginia Tuesday, what happens on Wednesday?

FCPS officials will make that call later Tuesday. But in case you are keeping track – if school is canceled Wednesday, then students will attend on April 7. That date was a previously scheduled teacher workday.

Fairfax County Public School announced that schools will be closed on Tuesday, Jan. 21 due to the snow forecast.

A winter storm warning has been issued for Northern Virginia. The forecast calls for 4 to 7 inches of snow, which will begin falling Tuesday morning and through Tuesday afternoon.

The county government will be open but with unscheduled leave. School offices will be open.

Update, 5:30 p.m. Monday: The National Weather Service has now upgraded the forecast for Tuesday to a Winter Storm Warning. Conditions are likely for a significant storm with four to six inches of snow.

Original Story — The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the area from Tuesday morning through Tuesday evening. Reston Now will keep you updated with any changes and school closings.

Here is the advisory, which predicts as much as five inches of snow for Northern Virginia:

WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING.

* PRECIPITATION TYPE… SNOW

* ACCUMULATIONS… POTENTIAL FOR FIVE INCHES OR MORE.

* TIMING… TUESDAY THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING. THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL BE LATE TUESDAY MORNING THROUGH TUESDAY AFTERNOON.

* TEMPERATURES… DROPPING INTO THE TEENS.

* WINDS… BECOMING NORTH 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS AROUND 25 MPH TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

* IMPACTS… ROADS WILL BE SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY. THE COMBINATION OF SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO BELOW ONE-HALF MILE AT TIMES. TRAVELLING MAY BE DANGEROUS TUESDAY. THE MORNING AND EVENING COMMUTE MAY BE IMPACTED BY THE SNOW.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

Fairfax County Public Schools have been canceled or delayed in the past for reasons as varied as hurricanes and, of course, snow.

But until this week, never for plain, old cold. Due to the effects of the polar vortex — which blew in record-breaking low temperatures from North Dakota to Atlanta — FCPS classes and activities were canceled Tuesday and there will be a two-hour delay on Wednesday, the school system said.

Then again, it hasn’t been this cold in Fairfax County for a long time. It was 1 degree F Tuesday morning at Dulles International Airport, setting a record.

Wednesday will start out nearly as cold, with morning temps in the single digits, but should warm up to a more-typical 32 in the afternoon.

FCPS At-Large School Board member Ryan McElveen, who has become somewhat of a social media icon among students for his quick tweets and Facebook posts after FCPS makes a closing announcement, says making the call is complicated and has to do with transportation and school equipment, even if roads are dry.

“Surrounding districts have had serious issues with their buses starting up in the morning, so we are trying to avoid a similar situation,” McElveen told Reston Now. “Also, we are also concerned with temperatures and exposure. The issues that have been experienced in surrounding districts are dead batteries, frozen lines and cracked parts. Those districts have bus depots, unlike FCPS, which makes fixing the buses easier.”

Still, some parents — whose children have been out of school for winter break since Dec. 20 only to go back for a day — say they are frustrated by FCPS’ decision making. On Tuesday, Reston Now posed a question to its Facebook followers: “Should school have been canceled today?” There were 61 answers; opinions covered a wide range.

Some of the answers:

• “I have read everyone’s comment on here and as a bus driver I am thankful school is closed. Can anyone please tell me how many buses would not have started this morning? If you say more than 40 you might be right. There would have been to0 many children stranded this morning.”
• “I think there should have been school. If parents decided it was too cold for their children then they can keep their child home. I worked as a teacher’s assistant for handicapped children during the summer, and many children came to school starving and obviously don’t eat much at home. A lot of those same families don’t have the money or resources to properly heat or cool their own home. Coming to school was better than staying home.”
• “I think there should have been school today as well. There is too much winter left to be using this many snow days so early in the season.”
• “Absolutely not! Too many children will not be dressed for this extreme cold!”
• “A priority would be appropriate clothing for this weather. I can understand the bus argument however. Nowadays parents do allow their kids to be a little wimpy.”
• “For the sake of children who have to wait outside for the school bus, absolutely (it should have been canceled).”

A Thursday evening snowstorm dumped about two inches of snow on Reston, making it slow going for those who have to get somewhere Friday morning.

The snow will stick around for a bit too. Friday is expected to be unusually cold and windy. The high is 22 degrees, but with strong winds it should feel like the single digits.

Here is what you need to know:

FCPS is still closed for winter break, but all school activities such as sports practices or community events held in the schools) are cancelled.

Fairfax County Government has declared unscheduled leave for employees.

The Fairfax County Circuit Court, General District Court and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court are open on time.

Check road conditions on the Virginia Department of Transportation’s Virginia511 website. To see if a plow is headed to your neighborhood, check the VDOT Plows site.

As of 8:15 a.m., Dominion Virginia Power reported more than 1,700 customers in Fairfax County without power, but it seems Reston was unaffected by outages.

Photo of snowy Lake Anne Thursday night courtesy of Ken Knueven

Children around Reston woke up to several inches of new snow and a day off of school on Tuesday. It was a great chance to play in the snow — the largest snowfall in nearly three years here.

By noon, the snow had tapered off and main roads were generally plowed and clear.

How are you spending your snow day?

Reston and the rest of the Washington, DC, region are preparing Tuesday for the biggest snow in nearly three years.

Snow began falling in Reston about 6 a.m., right as scheduled by a Winter Storm Warning issued by the National Weather Service. The NWS says 3 to 6 inches may fall between 6 a.m. and noon.

If predictions are on track, it will be the biggest snow since “Carmaggedon,” the Jan. 26, 2011 afternoon rush hour storm that left many motorists around the region stranded in traffic, says NBC4 Meterologist Tom Keirein.

Here are some things to know today:

Federal Government offices are closed.

Fairfax County Public Schools are closed Tuesday for the second day in a row.

Fairfax County Government offices will be open Tuesday. Employees have been granted unscheduled leave. Emergency service personnel should report as scheduled.

Fairfax County Circuit Court, General District Court and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court are open on time.

Fairfax Parks, Community and Recreation and Community Centers: If you have questions about Park Authority facilities, contact the site directly, call the Parks inclement weather line at 703-324-8661, TTY 711, or visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks. Reston Community Center (both locations) have cancelled programming, but the pool is scheduled to open at 9 a.m.

Fairfax Connector bus service may be affected by the inclement weather. Check the Connector Web page at www.fairfaxconnector.com for the current operating status.

FASTRAN: Call 703-222-9764, press 8; TTY 711, or check online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ncs/fastran.htm for the latest updates about potential service interruptions.

Libraries: Library hours may be affected; call your local branch before visiting. For branch phone numbers, call 703-324-3100 or go to www.fairfaxcounty.gov/library.

Roads: Residents can see the status of plowing in northern Virginia neighborhoods at www.vdotplows.org. Once it snows more than two inches Fairfax residents can enter their address and a color-coded map shows whether plowing is underway, completed, or not yet started in their neighborhood.

Report road problems to 1-800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623) or [email protected].

Power:  Check out Dominion Virginia Power’s outage map. To report an outage, visit Dominion Virginia Power  or call 866-DOM-HELP (366-4357)

Somewhere that you have to be? Read these tips from The Weather Channel on driving on ice.

This story will be updated as developments warrant. Have any great weather photos? Tweet us at@RestonNow, post them on our Facebook Page or email to [email protected].

Photo of Dulles Toll Road via WJLA traffic cam.

Fairfax County Schools will be closed Tuesday — the second day in a row — as heavy snow is scheduled to fall in the morning.

School Age Child Care Centers (SACC) will also be closed. Fairfax County government will be open, but employees can take unscheduled leave.

To see other county closings and a list of numbers to call for information, visit Fairfax County’s Emergency Information blog.

All Reston Community Center programs are canceled Tuesday. The pool will open at 9 a.m. For current status, call 703-476-4500.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning through Tuesday afternoon, with snowfall of 3 to 5 inches for the Reston area.

The Virginia Department of Transportation is advising motorists to check road conditions ahead of their commute, and to limit travel or use caution.

More than 1,200 trucks and plows will be out beginning at 4 a.m. Tuesday, VDOT said.

Residents can see the status of plowing in northern Virginia neighborhoods at www.vdotplows.org. Once it snows more than two inches, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William residents can enter their address and a color-coded map shows whether plowing is underway, completed, or not yet started in their neighborhood.

Report road problems to 1-800-FOR-ROAD (367-7623) or [email protected].

Update, 6 p.m. Sunday: Fairfax County Public Schools have announced all schools will be closed Monday due to the weather conditions.

On Monday, Dec. 9, all Fairfax County public schools will be closed, and administrative offices will open at 12 noon. The following activities in schools and on school grounds are canceled.

Snow and freezing rain that fell all day Sunday have resulted in dangerous road conditions.

When FCPS is closed so are  extracurricular activities, interscholastic contests, team practices, field trips, middle school after-school programs, professional learning and training courses, all adult and community education classes, recreation programs and community use by outside groups not affiliated with FCPS. School Age Child Care (SACC) centers are also closed.

Update, 5:42 p.m. Sunday – Reagan National Airport is at a ground stop as of 5:45 p.m. while ground crews clear freezing rain. All airlines are reporting many cancellations from all three DC-area airports, so call and plan ahead if you have travel plans late Sunday.

As the snow turned into freezing rain Sunday afternoon, Virginia Department of Transportation officials advised  citizens to stay off roads.

“We are urging folks to stay off the road today and to delay travel in the morning until conditions improve,” Branco Vlacich, head of maintenance for VDOT in northern Virginia, said in a press release. “While crews are keeping up with the storm for now, we expect conditions to deteriorate as the snow turns into freezing rain.”

More than 2,000 salt trucks and plows are working to keep roads passable in northern Virginia, said VDOT, adding that while roads are passable, ramps, bridges and underpasses are treacherous and are likely to remain so until temperatures rise sometime Monday morning.

Original story: Snow began falling in Reston early Sunday, right on schedule. As of noon, the area has received less than an inch and main roads are generally clear.

However, changing weather this afternoon poses a challenge for residents. Sleet and freezing rain are predicted, the National Weather Service says. Some of the most troublesome issues in the area are expected North and West of D.C.

What you need to know:

The winter storm watch issued by the National Weather Service has been upgraded to a winter storm warning through 10 a.m. Monday.

The NWS predicts “one to three inches of snow and sleet, followed by a quarter inch of ice. Snow and sleet will begin Sunday morning, then will change to freezing rain Sunday afternoon. Freezing rain will continue Sunday night, eventually changing to rain late Monday morning. The greatest accumulation of ice will take place on Sunday night.”

All Fairfax County Public Schools activities scheduled for Sunday have been cancelled.

Reston Community Center  Hunters Woods and Lake Anne  will both close at 5 p.m. today due to the weather.

Icy power lines can mean power outages. Dominion’s outage map can be found here.

Virginia Department of Transportation has a road conditions website to keep you up to date.

Have any great snow photos? Tweet us at @restonnow or email to [email protected].

This story will be updated as conditions change and any closings are announced.