Heavy rains, gusty winds and poor visibility led Maryland transportation officials Friday to back off the regular switch to two-way traffic on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, a move that was expected to cause extended delays during the evening rush hour.

The Washington region was whipped by high winds and heavy rains Friday, inclement weather that was expected to linger into Saturday evening. As of 5:30 p.m. Friday, Reagan National Airport had recorded 1.31 inches of rain for the day, with winds averaging nearly 18 mph.

The weather slowed traffic on virtually every major highway regionwide, but especially on southbound Interstate 95 between Springfield and Fredericksburg.