Snow to bring ‘extremely difficult’ travel to D.C., Baltimore

A potent winter storm is set to wallop the mid-Atlantic early week, delivering enough snow and ice to snarl travel.

A major storm unfolded across the central United States this weekend, burying communities in up to a foot of snow, while others were glazed with a layer of dangerous ice. As the storm moves east through the Tennessee Valley and into the mid-Atlantic, slippery conditions and difficult travel will follow through at least Monday.

“AccuWeather snow experts are increasingly concerned about dangerous travel impacts from heavy snow across parts of the mid-Atlantic, including Washington, D.C., and the Baltimore metropolitan areas,” said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter.

Porter warned that the risk for extremely heavy snow “falling at the rate of 1-2 inches per hour, coinciding with the first full morning commute after the holiday season,” could bring very dangerous travel for the Monday morning commute.

“Travel may become extremely difficult and dangerous for a time, especially on Monday morning, with the worst impacts poorly timed with the morning commute in the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore areas with such extreme snow rates occurring,” Porter said.

Around half a foot of snow is expected for both cities, bringing what Porter noted could be the first major storm for these metro areas in three years.

Accumulating snow is expected in northern Virginia but also as far north as central Pennsylvania, Ohio and New Jersey. Other major metro areas such as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh can expect several inches of accumulation. A coating of snow is even possible in New York City with higher totals in the southern and western suburbs.

“When it is snowing that fast a rate, despite the best efforts of road crews, it is difficult to keep up with the accumulation and keep roads clear of snow,” Porter warned. “We’ve seen similar situations in the past catch people off guard who aren’t prepared for the impacts, leading to ‘highway chaos’ including multiple-vehicle pileups and traffic jams, which have resulted in major interstates being shut down for hours.”

Outside of the cities, problems are likely to mount on side roads and highways. Interstates 66, 70, 81, 95 and 270 could all have delays or even closures.

Travel difficulties are also expected across parts of Kentucky, central and southern Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee. In these areas, precipitation is likely to fall as freezing rain and sleet for a time, adding to the slippery conditions.

Icy surfaces are known to cause spinouts, crashes, travel disruptions and road closures. Power outages will also be a major concern.

“Some places will have snow and ice then switch back to snow. That’s a bad combination. Heavy snow and ice accretion can bring down tree limbs and power lines,” AccuWeather Senior Director of Forecasting Operations Dan DePodwin warned. 

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The cold air following the storm will be significant, with temperatures forecast to dip well below the historical average for early January and below the freezing mark. The lingering cold is likely to continue the travel difficulties well past Monday morning.

“While the worst travel impacts will occur during the peak of the storm, difficult travel can continue in parts of the mid-Atlantic well after the storm into Monday night, with temperatures falling into the 20s, which can result in wet areas becoming icy,” said Porter.

Combined with the gusty winds, AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will dive down into the single digits and teens, making it feel even colder for the Tuesday morning commute.

Persistent cold air is forecast to continue behind the storm, keeping temperatures near or below freezing from northern Virginia on north, perhaps through the whole week. The sub-freezing temperatures could make for slower cleanup following the storm and may delay power restoration in locations without electricity. The chilly air rushing over the Great Lakes will also produce more lake-effect snow as the week continues.

With the lingering cold, residents should keep an eye out for more wintry weather. AccuWeather meteorlogists are already keeping an eye on a potential storm that could spread snow and ice from Texas to the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic later in the week.

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