Valentine’s Day left the Washington region under an icy spell, knocking out power for more than 100,000 customers, shutting schools and delaying the work of the federal government.
And the situation could get worse. The wintry weather system that created havoc over the metropolitan region Wednesday was expected to pull in high winds and colder air from Canada and the Great Lakes, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures could sink to 15 degrees with a wind-chill factor of zero early Thursday. Wind gusts were expected to reach 35 mph, with sustained winds of between 15 and 20 mph.
The good news amid all the gloom? The area was expected to get two days of sunshine, though the highs would remain in the upper 20s, about 15 degrees below the normal February temperatures.
On Wednesday, the winter storm dropped 3 inches of snow, sleet and frozen rain and left ice accumulation of about one-fifth of an inch in the District and Virginia suburbs, according to the National Weather Service.
Prince George’s County and eastern parts of Montgomery County received up to a half-inch of ice accumulation.
“It was kind of the anti-Valentine’s Day,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Roger Smith.
Frozen rain and ice pellets clung to trees, snapping limbs and pulling down power lines.
A Loudoun County teen was killed when a tree limb fell on her while she was in her yard, according to the county sheriff’s office. Authorities had not released the girl’s name Wednesday afternoon.
More than 50,000 Prince George’s County homes and businesses woke up in the dark Wednesday morning.
Road and utility crews were preparing for more power outages Wednesday night as temperatures dropped and wind speeds rose.
Federal agencies had a two-hour delay and allowed some employees to stay home Wednesday. Travel was treacherous, but area police reported no major wrecks.
Schools in Montgomery, Loudoun, Fairfax and Prince William counties will remained closed today.
