Winter storm heads for suburbs far west of DC
Areas far west of D.C. could be transformed into a winter wonderland Tuesday evening.
A storm system pushing through the Tennessee Valley will sweep to the Mid-Atlantic just as lingering chilly temperatures remain in place from the recent cold snap. The result will be snowfall along and west of the Blue Ridge.
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While steady rain will move into the D.C. area during the afternoon and evening commute and linger through the first part of the night, it’ll be a different story in the far western suburbs. The timeline for the onset of the snow along and west of the Blue Ridge is 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Then, the critical time for snow accumulation is 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The snow amounts will be totally based on elevation. While valley locations such as Winchester, and Hagerstown in Maryland and Martinsburg, West Virginia, will see a burst of snow at the onset, it will change to rain early in the evening. Still, trace amounts of snow will accumulate on most surfaces except for roadways along Interstate 81 before the changeover to all rain.
It’s a cold rain for most today w/ snow & ice over the mountains. Snow: Dusting-2″ west of I-81 w/ 2-3″ possible along I-68 & elevations above 2,500 ft. A light glaze of ice is also possible on elevated surfaces. Watch for slick travel later this aft-eve. #MDwx #VAwx #DCwx #WVwx pic.twitter.com/WTURdlhpCV
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) November 15, 2022
The biggest impact in the D.C. region will be the Blue Ridge between I-81 and Route 15 and the Allegheny foothills west of I-81. An inch of snow is expected on the ridgetops followed by freezing drizzle. Motorists heading over the mountains between Frederick and Hagerstown on Interstate 70, Interstate 66 across the Virginia Blue Ridge and Skyline Drive will see a winter wonderland develop as they climb elevation, but travel will not be impacted.
Winter weather advisories have been posted for the Virginia Blue Ridge and Allegheny hills east and west of I-81. However, even eastern Washington and western Frederick County will see enough snow for almost an inch of accumulation on most surfaces except main roads.
Freezing drizzle will mix in later Tuesday night and this will create slippery sidewalks and driveways in these higher elevations. Fog will limit visibility for a few hours late Tuesday and early Wednesday in these spots.
Far western Maryland and West Virginia will cash in on the highest snow amounts with two to three inches expected along the Interstate 68 and Route 219 corridor.
The storm system marks the anniversary of the mid-November storm that produces two to nine inches of snow west of Washington in 2018. The Blue Ridge typically sees its first inch of snow at the end of November to early December.
On the heels of Tuesday’s storm will be a reinforcing chill for the remainder of the week across the entire region.