Listen live to WTOP online and on 103.5 FM for traffic and weather updates on the 8s.
It’s snow joke: White stuff coated parts of the D.C. area Sunday.
A couple of flurries are expected to fall inside the beltway Sunday night.
The issue is that the wet weather could freeze on roadways overnight, making for a potentially slick start to Inauguration Day in the nation’s capital.
Here’s what you need to know.
Suburbs north and west of D.C. are seeing the heaviest snowfall as the wintry weather system moves east, according to the National Weather Service.
Between 3 to 6 inches of snow could fall over the northern suburbs with 1 to 4 inches over the metro area, according to WTOP Meteorologist Mike Stinneford.
“Only light accumulations over the southern suburbs, where the snow may stay mixed with rain. Precipitation will end this evening,” he said.
The snow will end east of the mountains, the NWS said.
The heaviest snowfall was expected from 3 to 6 p.m. with the precipitation moving out of the region late Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service.
A drop in temperatures could make conditions slippery overnight and into Monday.
“Skies will clear overnight, and any slush and standing water will freeze as temperatures tumble well below freezing. Monday will be a windy and bitterly cold day,” Stinneford said.
The D.C. region can expect 1 to 4 inches of snowfall to accumulate Sunday.
Charlie Gischlar, with the Maryland State Highway Administration, said there was a lot of residual salt still remaining on the roadways, especially out in Western Maryland, because they’ve been in winter operations on and off for the last couple of weeks.
But, he noted, they’ve been “watching this very closely.”
With Monday being Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the incoming holiday could keep some drivers off the roads.
However: “Even after the precipitation stops, because the bitter cold is going to follow immediately, we’re going to continue to keep crews out and salting any icy patches.”
As for Sunday, the NWS has issued a Winter Storm Warning for areas far north and west of the D.C. metro until 7 p.m.
- Listen to WTOP online and on the radio at 103.5 FM or 107.7 FM.
- Current traffic conditions
- Weather forecast
- Closings and Delays
- Sign up for WTOP alerts
It will be frigid during President-elect Donald Trump’s second inauguration with temperatures in the upper teens and lower 20s expected — the lowest Inauguration Day temperatures since 1985. Due to the extreme cold weather, the swearing-in ceremony will take place inside the Capitol Rotunda.
The cold air will continue on Tuesday and Wednesday as wind chills will put feels-like temperatures in the single digits to lower teens.
“With this cold weather, there could be a lot more water main breaks across the region,” WTOP Meteorologist Chad Merrill said, adding that water will turn into ice due to the cold weather.
SUNDAY EVENING:
Snow ends
Turning Cold & Windy
Temps: 25-32; Wind Chills: Teens
Winds: Northwest 10-15 mph; Gusts: 30mph
Snow will taper off from west to east by 9 p.m., turning cold and windy. Watch for icy spots forming on roads and sidewalks.
SUNDAY NIGHT:
Mainly clear, cold
Lows: 15-20; Wind Chills: 5-15
Winds: Northwest 10-20 mph
Skies will continue to clear as temperatures quickly drop. Flash freezing of rain/snow from earlier could cause icy conditions, especially elevated roads and bridges.
MLK DAY & INAUGURATION DAY:
Mostly sunny, windy
Highs: 18-23; Wind Chills: 5-10
Winds: Northwest 10-20, Gusts: 35 mph
Expect lots of sunshine, but it won’t help warm us up much. Temperatures will struggle to get out of the teens and low 20s, with wind chills closer to zero degrees and single digits. Cold weather alerts from the National Weather Service are possible.
TUESDAY:
Mostly cloudy, very cold
Highs: 18-23; Wind Chills: 5-15
Winds: Northwest 3-8 mph
Cloudier skies will keep temperatures locked in the teens and 20s Tuesday afternoon with winds chills anywhere from 5 to 15 degrees.
WEDNESDAY:
Mostly sunny, very cold
Highs: near 20; Wind Chills: 5-15
Winds: Northwest 5-10 mph
Wednesday will be the last of the super cold air, and will also be the coldest day of the week. Temperatures will start in the single digits and barely climb out of the teens, with wind chills below zero in the morning and only climbing to the single digits.
Extended Outlook: Temperatures will be higher by next weekend on into the mid to upper 40s. The end of January and first half of February isn’t looking as cold.
Current conditions
WTOP’s Valerie Bonk contributed to this report.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
