The winter weather advisory has ceased for the region and for Fairfax, Prince George, Prince William and Anne Arundel counties due to the lack of ice.
The icy problem remained confined to the north and northwest of the ring road, where temperatures hovered around 32 degrees. Even in these places, it’s not cold enough for ice to cling to sidewalks, although some slippery spots may form on elevated surfaces like decks, bridges, and overpasses — where caution is advised. We’ve also seen some reports of light glaze developing on trees in some of these areas.
As stated in our previous update (below), our primary concern is the large amount of ice and slick roads near and west of Highway 15, which roughly runs from Warrenton to Leesburg to Frederick. We haven’t seen widespread reports of dangerous travel in the area as it’s raining hard and the water is running off rather than sticking to the road. However, ice may develop, especially in untreated areas. If you head west on Interstate 81, ice buildup on trees and power lines can become a problem over time, potentially causing power outages.
Our next update will be after 9am
6.55am – worst conditions west of Frederick, Leesburg and Warrenton
Around the ring road and in the south and southeast, temperatures remained above freezing (33 to 35 degrees), with moderate rainfall and wet roads. Temperatures hover around freezing north and northwest of the Beltway and west of Fairfax County, where you’re likely to encounter some slippery places, especially on elevated surfaces: decks, bridges, overpasses, and ramps. Trees can also be painted with a light glaze.
The most dangerous conditions are mostly around and west of Highway 15, roughly from Warrenton to Leesburg to Frederick. Along and to the west in the area, road surfaces and temperatures were in the 30s and 32s in many cases. Use extreme caution when walking and driving in this area, especially on untreated surfaces.
In Virginia, road temperatures were freezing along Interstate 66 east of the Front Royal, along Route 50 near Paris Mountain, and along Route 15 south of the Potomac River. In Maryland, sidewalks were freezing along Interstate 70 near the Frederick-Washington County line.
5:50 am – Cold temperatures and icing mostly north and northwest of the Beltway
The Washington area has been seeing heavy rain, cold enough to freeze on some surfaces primarily north and northwest of the Beltway.
Inside the Beltway and to the south and east, it’s been raining for the most part, with temperatures usually around 33 or 34 degrees and the roads just wet. Still, be careful stepping outside, as wet surfaces can appear slippery.
North and west of the Beltway, in western Loudoun and Prince William counties, and in northern Fauquier counties, temperatures were near freezing. In these areas, be aware of icing, especially on untreated surfaces, bridges, ramps, and overpasses.
Severe, more widespread ice is expected in the mountains west of Loudoun and west of Frederick (Maryland), where temperatures will be 31 degrees or colder.Overnight, the National Weather Service Ice storm warning extendedprimarily along Interstate 81 and west, into Frederick County.
Temperatures should remain where they are now for the next two to three hours before starting to rise from the southeast to the northwest from mid-morning to mid-morning.
A subjective rating of the day’s weather, on a scale of 0 to 10.
1/10: It was icy at first and the walk was risky. Then rain ruled the day as the wind spread a chilly spray.
- today: Freezing rain and sometimes heavy rain. Highs: Around 40.
- tonight: It rained in the evening, cleared up late at night, and breezy. Lows: 34 to 38.
- tomorrow: It was sunny and windy. Highs: 43 to 47.
Ice developed early today, especially in cooler areas west and north of downtown Washington, and then it was rainy and rainy all day and night. Those strong winds will drive us out tomorrow. The weekend was sunny, cold and dry, plenty of time to rearrange any decorations that were flying around Friday.
Today is thursday): Be careful going out this morning as freezing is possible, especially in the north and west of the city. Most areas should be “warm” enough for rain by mid-morning. In our farthest west and north, temperatures are likely to persist into the afternoon in several locations. Easterly winds of 25 mph with occasional downpours. Most areas received more than an inch of rain, with some places likely to see two inches by the time the rain stops. Near-term highs are near 40, but closer to 45 near the Bay Area and 35 near Loudoun and Frederick counties.Confidence: Moderate
tonight: Rain continued into the evening. Winds shifted to the northwest around midnight, showers began to end and partly cleared by dawn. Lows dropped to the mid-to-upper 30s, keeping most areas from refreezing.Confidence: Medium-High
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Tomorrow (Friday): Gusty westerly winds clear skies in the morning but make the highs in the mid 40s feel more like the mid 30s. Some of those gusts could reach 30 mph.Confidence: Medium-High
Tomorrow evening: Under persistently clear skies, the wind has finally calmed down. Lows slipped into the 20s to 30s.Confidence: Medium-High
saturday and sunday The seaside is sunny. The highs were mostly in the low 40s and low 20s range. For those who can see the sunset, wait another half hour to see Venus and Mercury on the horizon. Then look further south at Saturn and Jupiter, bright red Mars in the sky, and five planets at once!Confidence: Medium-High
on Monday More so with clear skies and highs in the 40s.Confidence: Medium-High