Snow flurries batter DC region with flurries of heavy snow, wind, just ahead of expected blizzard Sunday

On January 4, 2025By Littum

It’s all about the snow this weekend as meteorologists and eagle-eyed forecasters keep their attention on an arctic front focusing on the DC region.

This page contains a video that is blocked by your ad blocker.
To watch the video, you must disable your ad blocker.

Visibility drops in the DC area as snow flurries dump heavy snow on roads

The D.C. region is being hit by snow flurries that are producing heavy snow, covering roads and drastically reducing visibility for those driving during rush hour on Friday. The short but intense bursts of snow arrive just days before what is expected to be the DC area’s heaviest snowfall of the year.

Here’s what you need to know.

The National Weather Service warned of local outbreaks of heavy snow, often referred to as “blizzards,” between 15 and 18 for much of the DC area. The most intense showers hit Fairfax County in Virginia in the early afternoon rush, packing lightning and snow that reduced visibility to near zero.

“Very brief in nature, but very dangerous if you drive into one of those with reduced visibility,” said Erik Taylor of the National Weather Service.

WTOP meteorologist Mike Stinneford said snow showers are almost unheard of in the DC area.

“I’ve been doing this since the late ’80s, early ’90s, I’ve never seen one for this area. We see a lot of them up in Pennsylvania in the Pittsburgh area and around State College, but here ?No, Stinneford said. “Blinding snowfall here at 1 to 2 inches per hour, which will quickly cover roadways. Winds can gust up to 40 mph.”

While much of the precipitation will be gone by Friday evening, the risk to motorists remains. Temperatures will drop below freezing between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. Friday, according to the National Weather Service, and any standing water or slushy roads are likely to freeze.

7News First Alert Meteorologist Mark Peña said after flurries of snow clear, skies will be mostly clear. But don’t expect temperatures to get much warmer.

Peña urged residents to “plan on a cold but sunny Saturday with highs just around freezing.”

In the words of 7News First Alert meteorologist Eileen Whelan, the cold weather will remain “locked in” this weekend as Sunday doesn’t bring much warmer weather.

In fact, early forecasts suggest the region could see anywhere between 3 and 6 inches of snow from Sunday night into Monday morning for much of the DC area, marking the first major snowstorm of the season.

“The cold air will be in place and the moisture will be there as well,” Whelan said.

MDOTSHA Snow Plow — A Maryland State Highway Administration snowplow prepares for potential snowfall in Clarksburg. (WTOP/Kyle Cooper)

clarksburg salt barn — A salt barn in Clarksburg, Maryland, opens to snowplows. (WTOP/Kyle Cooper)

home depot dave snow — Dave, who lives in Bethesda, Maryland, buys snow supplies at a local Home Depot store. (WTOP/Kyle Cooper)

FORECAST

FRIDAY AFTERNOON: A mixture of rain, sleet and snow changing to all snow. Risk of snow showers that can cause heavy snow and low visibility. Temperatures in the low to mid 40s, with temperatures dropping below freezing in the late afternoon and evening.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Clear skies and windy. Lows in the low to mid 20s

SATURDAY: Mostly sunny, windy and cold. Height 30 to 35

SUNDAY: Sunshine in the morning. Increasingly cloudy in the afternoon. Highs in the mid to upper 30s

MONDAY: Likely snow, possibly mixed with sleet. Possibility of several centimeters of snow. Highs in the upper 20s to lower 30s

TUESDAY: Early snow showers, then clearing, windy and cold. Highs in the low to mid 30s

WEDNESDAY: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid to upper 30s

CURRENT CONDITIONS

Get the latest news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.