Update, Monday, 2:00 p.m. — The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for Fairfax County Tuesday evening through late Wednesday night.
A flood watch means there is potential for flooding.
The NWS also says 3 to 5 inches of rain may fall in that time period.
Original Story:
The storm system that caused 31 tornadoes in the South and Midwest over the weekend is heading here this week.
While conditions in Northern Virginia are not expected to be that severe, the system is expected to dump a three-day rain event on the area.
The National Weather Service says the rain will move in later today and continue overnight and into Tuesday.
Tuesday night is when the big storm starts to happen.
Wednesday’s thunderstorms could be strong, with damaging wind gusts and hail. There could be several inches of rain, but forecasters will update on expected totals as the storm gets closer.
In the meantime, keep your umbrella handy through Thursday. You will need it.
Photo: Rain/Credit: Bahman Farzad via Flickr
The National Weather Service has issued a Freeze Warning for Fairfax County and surrounding areas for late Tuesday night and early Wednesday.
Overnight temperatures are expected to dip to about 30 degrees, which will kill your cold-sensitive plants if you have already (optimistically?) planted them. Traditionally, the area’s last frost is between April 21-30, according to gardening zone maps.
If you have garden containers, bring them inside where it is warmer. If plants are in the ground, follow these tips from The Garden Helper:
- Water the garden thoroughly before nightfall. The soil will release moisture into the air around your plants during the night, keeping the air somewhat warmer.
- Cover up. By the time it gets dark much of the stored heat in the garden has already been lost. If you have time, build a simple frame around the plant, or row of plants. (Even a single stake can be used in many cases.) Then drape a cover of newspaper, cardboard, plastic tarps, bed sheeting or any other lightweight material over the frame to create a tent. If you don’t have time to create a frame, lay the protective cover directly onto the plant. This will help to slow the loss of heat rising from the foliage and the ground. Remove the covers in the morning, once the frost has thawed, to let the light and fresh air back in, and to prevent overheating by the sun.
- For smaller individual plants you can use glass jars, milk jugs with the bottom removed, paper cups upside down flower pots as heat traps. Don’t forget to remove these covers in the morning.
- You can collect heat during the day by painting plastic milk jugs black and filling them with water. Place them around your plants where they will collect heat during the day. Water loses heat more slowly than either soil or air. This collected heat will radiate out throughout the night.
After a glorious spring weekend with summer-like temperatures, Reston is about to get a reality check Tuesday.
The forecast is calling for a 40-degree temperature drop, as well as just maybe a few flakes of snow.
From The Washington Post’s Capital Weather Gang:
Between late afternoon Monday and Tuesday, we’ll go from temperatures near 80 to the 40s. Tuesday afternoon’s cold rain could even transition to mixed precipitation before ending at night. Many parts of the area see temperatures drop below freezing early Wednesday morning and some then struggle to escape the 40s Wednesday afternoon.
…Temperatures continue to fall through the 40s during Tuesday evening, into the 30s by around dark in some of our colder suburbs and closer to 10 or 11 p.m. inside the Beltway. This may allow rain — if it lingers long enough — to mix with and change to sleet and/or snow before ending (20-30 percent chance, highest western areas). As usual, the best chance of any wintry precipitation is in our colder suburbs to the northwest. Little or no accumulation is expected and it’s completely possible the rain shuts off before it’s cold enough for frozen precipitation.
To review: April 15. Wintry Mix.
Fun fact: The National Weather service says the latest measurable snow recorded in D.C. was April 28, 1998 (0.5 inch). At Dulles, the latest measurable snow was April 12, 1973, when an inch was recorded.
Winter’s not over yet.
The season’s last gasp — hopefully — will begin later on Sunday, when a winter storm is expected to hit Northern Virginia, dropping up to six inches of snow by the time St. Patrick’s Day is over on Monday.
The National Weather Service has issued Winter Storm Warning for Fairfax County and surrounding areas from 7 p.m. Sunday until 2 p.m. Monday.
From the NWS:
TIMING...A MIX OF RAIN AND SNOW EARLY THIS EVENING WILL CHANGE TO ALL SNOW BY MID EVENING. SNOW WILL CONTINUE OVERNIGHT THROUGH EARLY AFTERNOON MONDAY. THE HEAVIEST SNOW IS EXPECTED AFTER MIDNIGHT TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY MONDAY MORNING. * TEMPERATURES...FALLING INTO THE LOWER 30S BY MID EVENING AND THEN DROPPING INTO THE MID TO UPPER 20S LATE TONIGHT. HIGHS MONDAY IN THE LOWER 30S. * WINDS...NORTHEAST 10 TO 15 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 20 MPH. * IMPACTS...ROADS WILL BECOME SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY. TRAVEL WILL BE DANGEROUS...ESPECIALLY TONIGHT THROUGH THE MORNING RUSH ON MONDAY.
Reston Now will update this story with any school closings and road conditions.
High winds blew through Northern Virginia Wednesday night, bringing with it cold temperatures, power outages and other hazards.
What you need to know:
* A National Weather Service (NWS) wind advisory remains in effect until 11 a.m. A wind advisory means gusts of 45 to 55 miles per hour are expected.
* 60 mile per hour winds were measured at Dulles International Airport overnight, according to the Capital Weather Gang.
* There are reports of several trees down in Reston.
* As of 7:30 a.m. Thursday, the traffic light at at Wiehle Avenue and Sunset Hills Road had blown down. Police are on the scene directing traffic.
* Fairfax County has issued a Red Flag Warning from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior.
* Dominion Virginia Power is reporting about 1,500 customers without power in Fairfax County as of 7:30 a.m.
Any wind damage in your neighborhood? Let us know. Send photos to [email protected].
The predicted dusting of snow has turned into more of a nuisance than first predicted as fat flakes fell all morning in Reston and nearby areas, sticking to grassy areas. The National Weather Service says Northern Virginia may see up to three inches Tuesday.
From the NWS:
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM EST THIS
AFTERNOON…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS
ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW…WHICH IS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 2 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON.* PRECIPITATION TYPE…SNOW.
* ACCUMULATIONS…1 TO 3 INCHES.
* TIMING…THROUGH 2PM.
* TEMPERATURES…AROUND 30.
* WINDS…WEST 5 TO 10 MPH.
* IMPACTS…UNTREATED ROADWAYS WILL BE SLICK.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW
WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW
COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES…AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.
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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 is impacting Northern Virginia roads Wednesday morning, so Fairfax County Public Schools are on a two-hour delay. From FCPS:
All Fairfax County public schools will open two hours late on Wednesday, February 5. Offices will open on time.
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.
Fairfax County Public Schools will be on a two-hour delay Wednesday morning due to Tuesday night;s snowfall.
From FCPS:
All Fairfax County public schools will open two hours late on Wednesday, January 29.
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.
The snow has stopped falling. Now: the cold.
About six inches of the white stuff fell in Reston on Tuesday. However, residents who did not dig out yesterday better bundle up today as morning temperatures are in the single digits — even below zero with the wind chill.
Here is what to know today:
Fairfax County Public Schools are closed.
Fairfax County Government offices are open, however employees have been granted unscheduled leave. Emergency service personnel should report as scheduled.
The Federal Government is open but under two-hour delayed arrival. Employees have the option for unscheduled leave or unscheduled telework.
More county agencies:
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.
- For Department of Neighborhood and Community Servicesprograms and events visit www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ncs or call703-324-4600, TTY 711.
- All programs at Reston Community Center are canceled today. Call RCC at 703-476-4500, TTY 711, www.restoncommunitycenter.com.
Transportation
- 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.
- For information about FASTRAN, call 703-222-9764, press 8; TTY 711, or online at www.fairfaxcounty.gov/ncs/fastran.htm.
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.
View the public meetings calendar at for any potential cancellations of public meetings of Fairfax County government Boards, Authorities or Commissions.
Snow Plow Info
Visit http://www.vdotplows.org to see the status of plowing in Northern Virginia.
For general snow removal information, visit http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/snow.asp
Report unplowed roads, hazardous conditions to [email protected], 800-367-7623, or the Hunter Mill District office, 703-478-0283.
Going out? Tell us about the road conditions in Reston in the comments.
Photo of Bob Simon statue in snow by Charlotte Geary
So far, so clear in Reston.
That’s the story at 8 a.m. Tuesday, but it is expected to change quickly. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for Reston and Northern Virginia. Snow is expected to begin falling in Reston mid-morning, with totals of 6 to 8 inches expected here.
Federal offices in the D.C. area are closed. Non-emergency federal employees will have the day off, unless their office requires them to telework.
Fairfax County government is open, but with unscheduled leave for employees.
Fairfax County Public Schools are closed, along with most other area school systems.
Find out more about Fairfax County agency openings and closing on the county emergency services blog.
The special election for the State Senate Seat in the 33rd District (which covers parts of Oak Hill and Herndon) is on. The county advises voting early if you are headed to the polls.
For snowplow updates, visit VDOTplows.org.
Taking public transportation? Check Metro’s Service Update page.
Weather map for Jan. 21 courtesy National Weather Service.
After a few days to shake off the chill of the Polar Vortex, Northern Virginia will return to dreadful weather on Friday.
The National Weather Service has issued a freezing rain advisory for Fairfax County and nearby areas from 3 a.m. to 9 a.m.
It should be enough to coat roadways and sidewalks, making for a slick commute and ride to school.
By mid morning, when the temperature rises above freezing, the icing should let up, forecasters said.
Monday is expected to be one of the wackiest weather days ever in Northern Virginia.
Temperatures will start out in the mid-40s, pretty typical for this time of year here. However, beginning around 5 p.m. they are expected to drop — by about 40 degrees, forecasters say. Nighttime lows are predicted to be 4 degrees, the coldest readings in 20 years.
The record cold is part of the arctic front affecting about one-third of the nation. Sunday’s weather in the nation’s midsection ranged from 22 below in Minot, N.D. (windchill: 58 below) to the teens as far south as Kansas City.
Monday and Tuesday, it is the East Coast’s turn. The Washington Post’s Capital Weather Gang says with the wind chill, it will feel like it is below zero. Tuesday’s forecast for Reston — High: 16; Low: 12.
In other words, bundle up.
Fairfax County operates extra hypothermia shelters in the winter, including at Embry Rucker Community Shelter in Reston. If you know someone who needs to get out of the cold, please direct them to Fairfax County and local nonprofit services on the Fairfax County Government website.
Fairfax County Public Schools will open two hours late on Wednesday due to the weather.
After two days of ice and snow — and two school snow days — there is icing on the roads and sidewalks this morning.
What you need to know:
- Offices will open on time
- 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.
- Adult and community education classes will start on time.
The first real snow in nearly three years blanketed Reston Tuesday morning. Have any great snow photos? Tweet us at @restonnow.
