Rare October snow storm surprises region

Rare October snowflakes fell thick and fast in the District Saturday, while parts of Fairfax and Montgomery Counties were dusted by the storm that flummoxed travelers up and down the East Coast. Though the District’s snow melted as soon as it hit the pavement, the National Weather Service reported 3 inches in Clarksburg in Montgomery County by 5:30 p.m. Saturday and 0.4 inches in Herndon in Fairfax County.

The last time that a significant amount of snow fell on the Washington region in October was 1979, according to the weather service.