Some light flurries are falling in parts of the D.C. region ahead of a blast of cold air and high winds expected to arrive early Saturday.
The National Weather Service said light snowfall is likely Friday afternoon and evening, with the highest chance before 7 p.m.
Anywhere from a dusting to an inch of snowfall is possible. It’s not much, but it could turn untreated roads slick and amplify already rocky conditions for commuters dodging lanes blocked by leftover ice.
Don’t count on warmer temperatures to appear and melt away any potential snowfall off streets and sidewalks.
Temperatures continue to be below average for the D.C. region, with highs only in the upper 30s Friday.
And wind chills are expected to drop to 10 degrees below zero by Saturday morning right as northwest winds 10 to 20 mph move in.
“We’ll see that cold front sweep across the area from west to east, winds are going to rapidly increase,” said 7News First Alert Meteorologist Steve Rudin. “Temperatures will fall into the teens and 20s.”
An extreme cold warning and a high wind warning go into effect at 4 a.m. Saturday.
“Our high temperature tomorrow happens before sunrise, in the middle 20s,” Rudin said. “But during the afternoon, temperatures only around 15 to 20 degrees.”
Those high winds are forecast to last through Saturday evening at 7 p.m., with gusts up to 60 mph expected.
The frigid temperatures are expected to stick around a bit longer. That warning expires Sunday morning at 10 a.m.
Make sure to cover up if you’re headed out this weekend. The forecast is cold enough to risk frostbite and hyperthermia.
“By Sunday we’ll see breezy conditions, but still cold,” Rudin said. “Monday and Tuesday of next week, we start a modest warming trend.”
D.C. officials are urging residents and businesses to get rid of any leftover snow and ice on sidewalks.
A news release from the District recommends applying a salt or sand mix when shoveling. Adding ice melt into your lineup could prevent refreezing.
People experiencing homelessness in D.C. have access to hypothermia shelters during extremely cold weather. A list of those shelters is available online.
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FORECAST
FRIDAY:
Mostly cloudy; chance for PM snow showers
Highs: 33-38
Winds: South 5-10 mph
FRIDAY NIGHT:
Partly cloudy
Increasing Winds
Lows: 15-25
Winds: Northwest 10-15, Gusts 30+ mph
SATURDAY: WIND & COLD ALERTS
Mostly sunny, windy
Highs: 25-30
Wind Chills: -15 to 0
Winds: Northwest 20-30 mph, Gusts 40-60 mp
SUNDAY: COLD ALERT
Partly cloudy
Highs: 25-32
Winds: Northwest 5-15, Gusts to 25 mph
CURRENT CONDITIONS
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