Federal government employees in Washington will be permitted to leave work hours early on Tuesday as the region anticipates just an inch of snowfall.
“Employees of Federal offices in the Washington, DC area are authorized for early departure,” the Office of Personnel Management said in a notice to staff. “Employees should depart 4 hours earlier than their normal departure time and may request UNSCHEDULED LEAVE to depart prior to their staggered departure time. All employees MUST DEPART at no later than 1:00 pm at which time FEDERAL OFFICES are CLOSED.”
Temperatures are expected to drop in Washington as the day progresses, with periods of light rain and snow expected in the afternoon. Overall, forecasts predict 1-3 inches of accumulated snow.
In addition to the government closures, several schools throughout the metropolitan region shut down entirely for the day, and many others were scheduled for early releases.
While the forecasts appear minimal, Washington experienced a major snowstorm just a few years ago, with accumulation reaching over 17 inches in January 2016.
