Snow moves away from DC region, but roads could refreeze

The fast-moving winter snowstorm that blasted the D.C. region Sunday left residual precipitation that could refreeze, making for a potentially messy Monday morning commute.

Plummeting temperatures could have caused standing water and slush on area roadways to refreeze, leading to icy driving conditions Monday, according to Storm Team4 meteorologist Mike Stinneford.

He said Monday will be a cold day with high temperatures “only in the 30s.” There could be some travel issues early Tuesday too, as a “light wintry mix” moves in, Stinneford said.

He warned that the D.C. region could experience another chance of snow and ice late Wednesday night into Thursday.

Temperatures throughout the week will remain in the 30s and 40s, Stinneford said.

During the storm Sunday morning, one National Weather Service employee measured 3 inches of snowfall in Frederick County, Maryland, as of 8:30 a.m. Nearly an inch had already fallen in northwest Montgomery County by 7 a.m., according to an unofficial observation provided by the National Weather Service.

In Virginia, another National Weather Service employee said 1.5 inches of snow had fallen in Herndon by 8:14 a.m. An observer in Round Hill said 2.6 inches had fallen by 7:35 a.m. Stephens City had 3 inches by 7:55 a.m., according to an unofficial observation provided by the National Weather Service.

The latest snowfall totals complied by the National Weather Service are located on its website.

As a result of Sunday’s weather, Culpeper County Public Schools in Virginia will open two hours late Monday.

Make for extra travel time if you must be travel, and use caution on bridges, highway ramps, overpasses and secondary roads that ice over easily or might not be treated as frequently.



Forecast:

  • Monday: Mostly sunny and cold. Highs in the mid 30s.
  • Tuesday: A light wintry mix changing to rain. Highs in the mid 40s.
  • Wednesday: Mostly cloudy and cold. Highs in the mid to upper 30s.
  • Thursday: Mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain. Highs in the low to mid 30s.

Current conditions:

Matt Small

Matt joined WTOP News at the start of 2020, after contributing to Washington’s top news outlet as an Associated Press journalist for nearly 18 years.

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