Bitter cold holds firm as DC region faces aftermath of wintry weekend storm

How snow and sleet are measured during snowstorms

The wintry weekend storm has moved on, leaving people across the District, Maryland and Virginia to deal with rock-hard piles of snow and bitter cold.

With anywhere from five inches to nearly a foot of snowfall across the D.C. region, along with a glaze of ice in parts to the south and east of D.C., 7News First Alert Meteorologist Mark Peña said the storm “has left quite an impact on our area.”

Monday’s temperatures are forecast to reach the mid to upper 20s, but windy conditions could make the air feel colder. Especially Monday night, with wind chills forecast below zero.

Dangerously cold weather expected tonight into Tuesday morning. pic.twitter.com/ZenntvdTKL

— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) January 26, 2026

The National Weather Service said conditions would be “dangerously cold” through Tuesday morning. It suggests dressing in layers and keeping “pets indoors as much as possible.”

While Peña said snow and ice are going to stick around for the next seven to 10 days, no major additional snowfall is expected across the region until this weekend.

But he advises the D.C. area could see a few flurries Wednesday night. It’s those conditions that will reinforce “shots of cold, Arctic air,” Peña said, as high temperatures are expected to reach the mid 20s.

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WTOP’s Luke Lukert said it took him about 30 minutes to clear his vehicle of ice and snow early Monday: “There was about three inches of solid ice that I just had to break up from that windshield, and that’s with the heat running … and just getting out.”

He said it took 10 minutes “going back and forth, getting out, digging out some part of the snow,” to get his all-wheel-drive vehicle out of its parking spot.

Lukert said “if you did not shovel your driveway at all yesterday, it’s going to be really, really hard for you to get out.”

He said the side streets he drove through Northwest D.C. were slightly more treacherous than “a normal snow day,” but not terrible.

“Once you get to a major commuter route like Wisconsin Ave. … you see wet pavement.” He said “the hardest part is just going to be getting out of your driveway, getting out of your parking spot.”

Storm’s impacts across DC region

Local leaders from Virginia and Maryland told WTOP those who live on side streets may not see plows come through for a while.

In Maryland, Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich said once crews do get to side streets, there will be additional challenges.

“We’re focused on the main arteries right now,” Elrich said. “They’re going to have a coating of ice on many of the streets by the time we get there. That’s going to make it more difficult, for sure.”

Children play football in the snow — WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 25: Children play football on the West Front of the US Capitol on January 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. A massive winter storm is expected to bring frigid temperatures, ice, and snow to millions of Americans across the nation. (Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images)

Snowboarding near U.S. Capitol — WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 25: Collin Sabine, from Washington, DC rides a snowboard holding an American flag while being pulled on the West Front of the US Capitol on January 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. A massive winter storm is expected to bring frigid temperatures, ice, and snow to millions of Americans across the nation. (Photo by Al Drago/Getty Images)

Snowboarding near Lincoln Memorial — WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 25: Jonnie Plass snowboards on the stairs near the Lincoln Memorial on January 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. A massive winter storm is bringing frigid temperatures, ice, and snow to nearly 200 million Americans from Texas to New England. (Photo by Alex Kent/Getty Images)

Snow blankets the headstones in Arlington National Cemetery, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

People walk past the Marine Corps War Memorial as snow falls, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

A person cross country skies during a snowstorm, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

Snow plows clear Interstate 395, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

large crowd participates in snow ball fight pictured from slightly above — People participate in a snowball fight in Meridian Hill Park in Washington, DC, on January 25, 2026. A massive winter storm on January 24 dumped snow and freezing rain from New Mexico to North Carolina as it swept across the United States towards the northeast, threatening tens of millions of Americans with blackouts, transportation chaos and bone-chilling cold. After battering the country’s southwest and central areas, the storm system began to hit the heavily populated mid-Atlantic and northeastern states as a frigid air mass settled in across the nation. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP via Getty Images)

person wearing astronaut gear gets hit with snow balls during big snow ball fight — People participate in a snowball fight in Meridian Hill Park in Washington, DC, on January 25, 2026. A massive winter storm on January 24 dumped snow and freezing rain from New Mexico to North Carolina as it swept across the United States towards the northeast, threatening tens of millions of Americans with blackouts, transportation chaos and bone-chilling cold. After battering the country’s southwest and central areas, the storm system began to hit the heavily populated mid-Atlantic and northeastern states as a frigid air mass settled in across the nation. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP via Getty Images)

A man walks along a path as snow falls in DC — A man walks along a path as snow falls in Washington, DC, on January 25, 2026. A massive winter storm on January 24 dumped snow and freezing rain from New Mexico to North Carolina as it swept across the United States towards the northeast, threatening tens of millions of Americans with blackouts, transportation chaos and bone-chilling cold. After battering the country’s southwest and central areas, the storm system began to hit the heavily populated mid-Atlantic and northeastern states as a frigid air mass settled in across the nation. (Photo by Amid FARAHI / AFP via Getty Images)

children play on big pile of snow as parents watch from side — WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 25: Children play in the snow near the US Capitol on January 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. A massive winter storm is expected to bring frigid temperatures, ice, and snow to millions of Americans across the nation. (Photo by Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images)

snow landscape in dc with washington monument in the distance — A view of a snow covered National Mall in Washington, DC, on January 25, 2026. A massive winter storm on January 24 dumped snow and freezing rain from New Mexico to North Carolina as it swept across the United States towards the northeast, threatening tens of millions of Americans with blackouts, transportation chaos and bone-chilling cold. After battering the country’s southwest and central areas, the storm system began to hit the heavily populated mid-Atlantic and northeastern states as a frigid air mass settled in across the nation. (Photo by Amid FARAHI / AFP via Getty Images)

worker uses mini snow plow in front of us capitol — WASHINGTON, DC – JANUARY 25: An Architect of the Capitol worker clears snow from the West front of the U.S. Capitol on January, 25, 2026 in Washington, DC. A massive winter storm is bringing frigid temperatures, ice, and snow to nearly 200 million Americans from Texas to New England.. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

child sits in fort built out of snow — A young boy sits in a fort built out of snow in the D.C. area on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (WTOP/Abigail Constantino)

Snow gauge stuck in snow that reads 5 inches of accumulation — WTOP’s Dave Dildine measured nearly 5 inches of snow in Chevy Chase just before 9 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (WTOP/Dave Dildine)

little girl builds castle in snow — A little girl builds a structure in the snow in Germantown, Maryland, on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (WTOP/Linh Bui)

A plow clearing snow — A plow clears a parking lot in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (WTOP/Steve Dresner)

A car spins out in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2025. (WTOP/Steve Dresner)

Couple walking in Arlington — A couple walks in the snow in Arlington, Virginia, on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (WTOP/Sandy Kozel)

Dog enjoys snow in Bowie, Maryland — Skye frolics in the snow in Bowie, Maryland, (WTOP/Anne Kramer)

Birds on balcony in Upper Marlboro — Birds land on a balcony in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. (WTOP/Dan Ronan)

Dog plays in snow in DC — Emmett plays in the snow in a Chinatown park in the District. (WTOP/Bill McFarland)

Worker clears sidewalk in Maryland — A worker clears a sidewalk in Friendship Heights, Maryland, on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (WTOP/Giang Nguyen)

A Metrobus travels through Chevy Chase, Maryland, on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (WTOP/Julia Ziegler)

Snow plow — A small plow clears the area in front of a story in Chevy Chase, Maryland, on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. (WTOP/Julia Ziegler)

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While there aren’t any reports of power outages in the D.C. region tied to the storm, officials with Pepco and Dominion Energy are warning that’s a possibility. Read about how to prepare and how utility companies are planning to respond to potential outages here.

Gov. Abigail Spanberger said Virginia is seeing an increase in emergency room visits due to hypothermia and cold exposure, as well as carbon monoxide exposure.

The latter is “concerning,” as more people attempt to use their generators at home to stay warm. And those concerns aren’t going anywhere, with bitter cold temperatures in the forecast for the rest of January.

Those same cold risks apply to pets, and veterinarian Sophie Kindberg-Hanlon told WTOP to be mindful of chemicals, such as antifreeze and ice melt, that could be present when taking your pet on walks in the snow.

“They can really hurt feet, and certainly cause gastrointestinal upset if pets lick them off,” she said.

School systems call it early, cancel classes Monday (and Tuesday)

The majority of D.C.-area school systems announced on Sunday their plans to be closed Monday due to the weather conditions.

Some school closings for Tuesday were also announced, with Maryland’s Montgomery County Public Schools system being among the first to make the call to cancel classes two days in advance.

Meanwhile, maximum telework is in effect Monday for federal government workers, and those who can’t telework will be granted weather and safety leave.

Lastly, Amtrak said Sunday night all trains traveling in the Northeast Corridor may be delayed or temporarily stopped when approaching Washington due to an intermittent communications outage.

See the full list of closings and delays here.

Forecast

MONDAY: A mix of clouds and sunshine. Blustery and cold. Highs in the mid to upper 20s.

TUESDAY: Mostly sunny and cold. Highs in the low to mid 20s.

WEDNESDAY: Partly cloudy. Highs in the mid 20s.

Current conditions

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