This is not a drill: DC area could get up to 12 inches of snow

These are not typos. This is not a drill. (Courtesy NBC Washington)

Expect 4 to 8 inches of total accumulation Wednesday. (Courtesy NBC Washington)

Happy first day of spring from downtown Frederick!

(10:50 AM: Big wet flakes getting heavier. cc: @capitalweather, @dougkammerer) pic.twitter.com/RfPAPJBpIY
— Illumine8 (@Illumine8PR) March 20, 2018

Large flakes were falling Tuesday morning in Frederick, Maryland. (Courtesy NBC Washington)

Happy first day of spring, we're off to a snowy start! Here's a view of snowfall in Western Maryland. MDOT SHA crews are out and ready to assist. Stay updated on weather and traffic conditions with https://t.co/CGAKXzjzzW. VJ #MDOTNews pic.twitter.com/OsXaRneeYG
— MD State Highway Adm (@MDSHA) March 20, 2018

Snow was already covering roadways in Western Maryland on Tuesday morning. (Courtesy NBC Washington)

This event will be a heavy, wet snow. Plenty of rain this morning along I-95 but already snowing along I-81. Totals will be very elevation dependent. DC & So Maryland at sea level get the least. Above 1,000 ft 10" or more. Heaviest snow 6pm Tue--> 3pm Wed pic.twitter.com/HWxMjfkfWt
— Chuck Bell (@ChuckBell4) March 20, 2018

Storm Team4 Meteorologist Chuck Bell predicts the heaviest snow will fall between 6 p.m. on Tuesday and 3 p.m. on Wednesday. (Courtesy NBC Washington)

Light rain continues its slow track northward this morning across the area. Colder air will filter in from the north today, allowing the rain to mix/change to sleet and snow. Winter Storm Warning (pink area) expanded a bit further east. Latest: https://t.co/5RyZgpeTAT. pic.twitter.com/svkZhsrgYQ
— NWS DC/Baltimore (@NWS_BaltWash) March 20, 2018

On Tuesday morning, the National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington expanded its winter storm warning (pink area) a bit further east. (Courtesy NBC Washington)

Update regarding the winter weather headlines for Tuesday and Wednesday. See map for details. For additional information, go to https://t.co/NE4IUzNKyF pic.twitter.com/ztUwkEx0uQ
— NWS DC/Baltimore (@NWS_BaltWash) March 20, 2018

Higher elevations North and West of D.C. are likely to get 6 inches of snow or more on Wednesday. The highest elevations, over 1,000 feet, could get 10 inches or more. (National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington) (Courtesy NBC Washington)

Expect snow to move in during the overnight, said Storm Team4's Lauryn Ricketts. (Courtesy NBC Washington) — Expect snow to move in overnight into Wednesday, said Storm Team4’s Lauryn Ricketts. (Courtesy NBC Washington)

“There are two parts to this system,” said Storm Team4’s Lauryn Ricketts. (Courtesy NBC Washington)

A one degree shift one way or the other will a make a big difference between cold rain or heavy, wet snow, the National Weather Service said. (Courtesy National Weather Service via Twitter)

(1/10)

Share This Gallery:

WASHINGTON — The D.C. area is getting the heavy snowfall it’s mostly dodged this winter — an expected 8–12 inches, according to Storm Team4 Meteorologist Doug Kammerer.

Portions to the north and west could see up to 16 inches when the system rolls in early Wednesday, while portions to the south will get off easier — up to 8 inches. A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for most of the D.C. area from 2 a.m. through 8 p.m. on Wednesday. Expect hazardous travel conditions.

Kammerer thinks the snowfall will be historic. “We haven’t seen a storm similar to this this late in the season for about 50 years,” he said, referencing a storm in March 1964.

For the rest of Tuesday, expect a wintry mix mainly around the District. Areas to the north and west will see more snow, while areas to the south and east will see more rain.

D.C.-area schools were already bracing for the wintry conditions. The University of Maryland, College Park, has already announced it will be closed Wednesday, and dozens of other schools are likely to follow suit going into Tuesday evening. (Check a regularly updated list on WTOP’s Closings & Delays page.)

Comcast has offered to help residents in the D.C. area stay connected during the storm by opening more than 3,500 Xfinity WiFi hotspots at select outdoor and business locations. This free service is available to anyone — including non-Xfinity Internet customers — through Monday, Mar. 26.

Weather

Here is the forecast:

Tuesday: Cold, wet and breezy. Rain will mix with sleet this afternoon. Minor accumulations are possible.
Overnight: The snow begins. Lows will be in the high 20s to low 30s.
Wednesday: The snow really kicks in during the early morning hours; 8–12 inches of total accumulation likely around D.C. Areas to the northwest could see even more.
Thursday: Partly to mostly cloudy, breezy and cold. Winds will be between 15 and 25 mph, but the highs will be between 38 and 44 degrees.

Travel and transportation

Amtrak has canceled dozens of Northeast region trains running Wednesday. That includes several Acela trains to New York and Boston, as well as one train along the Capitol Limited line to Chicago and two trains each along the New York/Miami Silver Meteor and Silver Star lines.

MTA Commuter Bus Service will not operate Wednesday, except Route 201, which will operate on regular weekday service as long as possible through the severe weather conditions.

The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration had crews pre-treat highways and bridges in northern counties in advance early Tuesday, as nighttime temperatures will increase the chance of roads refreezing.

Maryland crews are clearing stormwater management systems of debris to enable positive drainage and preparing chain saws, chippers and generators, and road closed signs.

The weather service also advises that commuters expect slippery road conditions Tuesday going into Wednesday and reduced visibility at times.

Major interstates from DC to Philadelphia to NYC by 7AM Wednesday will be seeing wet snow! Temperatures expected to be at or below freezing, which could cause roads issues. pic.twitter.com/AlAQPDR2Ex

— Sheena Parveen (@SheenaParveen) March 20, 2018

Closings and delays

A complete roundup of up-to-date information on school delays and closings is on WTOP’s Closings and Delays page.

Closings and Delays
WTOP’s Weather Center
WTOP Traffic Center

WTOP’s Patrick Roth contributed to this report.