Break out the snow shovels and start the traditional run on bread, milk and toilet paper — a massive snowstorm is on the way.
The National Weather Service has placed the Washington area under a winter storm watch for late Friday night, through Saturday into early Sunday, as a major storm is forecast to come up the Atlantic seaboard.
The weather service office in Sterling issued the watch for “heavy snow with accumulations greater than 5 inches,” temperatures in the upper 20s to lower 30s and winds 10 to 20 mph throughout the storm. Warnings could be issued Friday morning.
The cold air is in place already, and any precipitation that falls is expected to fall as snow. Numerous forecasting models were predicting more than a foot of snow for the area.
The storm’s expected track is a classic heavy snow producer. The low-pressure system that pounded the Gulf Coast this week will track north and move along the East Coast Saturday, the weather service said. Heavy snow is possible at times as is minor coastal flooding.
Andrew Ulrich, Accuweather meteorologist, said a good bet right now is six to 10 inches in the Washington region, though some model guidance suggests pockets of heavier amounts. The weather service is “playing it safe,” he said, “and that’s good to do.”
Expect hazardous travel and gusty winds, Ulrich said, but the storm should fall short of an official blizzard.
The D.C. Department of Transportation is “already getting equipment ready and pretreating,” said spokesman John Lisle. The Virginia Department of Transportation had started spraying anti-icing chemicals on pavements and bridges, preparing supplies and prepping 3,146 crew members by Thursday afternoon.
Metro said it is “prepared and ready to go” with 2,200 tons of bulk rock salt, 18,000 50-pound bags of de-icer, 122 snow blowers and “snow-trained employees ready to handle whatever Mother Nature has in store.”
The problem for Metro comes as the snow gets deeper. Metrorail riders face limited service, including termination of aboveground service, once snow reaches 8 inches. Metrobus continues to run normally as long as conditions permit.
The storm is expected to usher in bitter cold air next week, with high temperatures barely above freezing. The D.C. Department of Human Services asks that anyone who sees a homeless person in need of assistance call the hypothermia hot line at 800-535-7252.
