WASHINGTON — The region is preparing for another snowed-in day Monday after spending Sunday digging out from record-setting snowfalls that dumped more than 30 inches in some parts of the D.C. area.
The D.C.-area public school systems have canceled classes for Monday and federal government offices in D.C. are closed for the day. Still, there is a glimmer of hope after a snowy weekend: major roadways are being cleared, flights are set to resume at the regional airports, and Metrorail will resume very limited service beginning at 7 a.m. Monday.
However, don’t let cabin fever and the presence of passable major roadways tempt you to get behind the wheel — people are still discouraged from driving on area roadways because of the threat of black ice. Also, extra cars on the roadways can impede road crews’ progress, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser says.
The storm has a connection to one D.C. man’s death. An 82-year-old died after going into cardiac arrest while shoveling snow in D.C. He is the first person whose death is related to the snowstorm in the city.
At least 29 people have died around the country as a result of the mammoth snowstorm.
Quick Links
Snow Totals
While the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia received more than 40 inches of snow and parts of Loudoun County received as much as 36 inches, BWI had it highest snowfall ever at 29.2 inches fell.
Dulles International Airport had its second highest total at 29.3 inches.
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport had its fourth biggest snowfall at 17.8 inches.
See all of the totals on the National Weather Service page.
Read more about the records that were set.
Forecast
Temperatures will drop quickly after sunset, leading to a refreeze and very icy conditions Monday morning. The weather will stay quiet until late Tuesday when an approaching front will trigger a few light rain showers.
For the full forecast, visit WTOP’s Weather page.
Closings and Delays
- A number of schools will be closed Monday. Some systems will be closed Monday and Tuesday.
- Many college and professional sporting events in the area have been moved or rescheduled. See the list here.
- The Smithsonian closed D.C. museums, as well as the National Zoo, are closed.
- The National Mall and Memorial Parks are closed through at least Sunday.
Find a full list of closings and delays here.
Travel/Commuting
You are urged to stay off the roads so crews can attempt to get them cleared and treated. Black ice also is a concern on roads that have been cleared. Sidewalks remain impassible and cars are buried to their roofs.
Ellen Kamilakis, spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Transportation, says drivers should stay off the roads Sunday. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser noted on WTOP Sunday that drivers should continue to stay off the roads Monday, too, even as major roads are cleared.
“We are looking forward to another big cleanup day [Monday.] We continue to ask people to stay off the road so our plows can have access to the streets,” she says.
Also, drivers should keep their own safety in mind as temperatures remain frigid.
“For the rest of the week at night, we are expecting temperatures well below freezing, which makes just about every treatment we put on the road ineffective,” she says.
Kamilakis says VDOT needs at least 48 hours to get the major highways cleared. The neighborhoods will take “a couple more days,”
Interstate 270 and Interstate 70 in Maryland reopened around 7:30 a.m. Sunday after they were closed overnight so that trains of snow plows could get them cleared.
TRANSIT
- Metrorail will resume very limited service beginning at 7 a.m. Monday.
- Below is a map of the Metro lines and stations in service Monday
Here’s a map showing how Metrorail will operate on Monday morning. (Our thanks to @pdovak for creating it.) #wmata pic.twitter.com/lvlHYZLKZS
— Metrorail Info (@Metrorailinfo) January 25, 2016
- Below is a map of the Metro lines and stations in service Monday
- Metrobus and DC Circulator suspended service.
- Find out more about the plans of area transit agencies.
- The gates at Metro garages will remain open through 9:30 a.m. Tuesday free of charge.
- VRE says it will not offer service on Monday. A decision about Tuesday is expected Monday night.
- MARC service has been cancelled for Monday. Please note that while some Amtrak trains may be operating, they will not accept MARC tickets.
- MTA says there will be no Commuter Bus service on Monday, except for Route 201 (Gaithersburg-BWI). The service will run on a weekend schedule — the first departures from both endpoints will be at 9 a.m. MTA says eastbound runs 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 will not operate.
- Amtrak says it will operate on a modified schedule in the Northeast. Several other Amtrak services are canceled or truncated.
AIRPORTS
- Reagan National and Dulles International will each have at least one runway open for flight operations beginning Monday morning. Airlines are expected to operate limited flight schedules at both airports Monday.
- In a tweet, Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport says it plans to resume flights gradually over the next 24 hours.
OTHER
- Car2Go, the car-sharing service, suspended service as of Thursday night.
- The D.C. Taxicab Commission has enacted a Snow Emergency Fare as of 9:30 a.m. Friday. The fare authorizes taxis to add a flat fee of $15 to the metered charge.
- Capital Bikeshare, which was closed through the weekend, will be closed Monday.
Get the latest traffic updates on the WTOP traffic page, by following @WTOPTraffic on Twitter and by listening to 103.5 FM on-air or online. You can also follow along with the latest traffic conditions, in our live blog.
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