WASHINGTON — Heavy winds are expected Thursday afternoon in the D.C. area with gusts of 35 to 40 mph amid tumbling temperatures that could also bring flurries and snow squalls. Those squalls could create headaches for many commuters’ evening rush home.
This is in the wake of a fast-moving storm that began sweeping through the WTOP listening area in the morning, bringing with it plenty of rain and minor amounts of snow to the north and west.
Some school systems have closed or delayed their openings. Get the full list on WTOP’s closings page.
There is a Wind Advisory now until 6 p.m. for the counties of Anne Arundel, St. Mary, Calvert, Southern Baltimore.
Farther north along the East Coast, from Boston to New York, people are bracing for blizzard conditions and potentially a foot or more of snow.
While much of the D.C. area escaped the worst that the storm had to offer, WTOP’s Neal Augenstein says things are different at the top of Blue Ridge Mountain, overlooking the Shenandoah Valley, near the West Virginia line. Crusty slush has frozen on the winding road and the wind at the top of the mountain is icy cold and strong. While most commuters would never have to take the route, it is a picture-perfect view of winter in Virginia.
Yes, there’s snow today in Virginia — if you know where to look, like here in Bluemont. pic.twitter.com/TJOB4aMzEo
— Neal Augenstein (@AugensteinWTOP) February 9, 2017
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WEATHER:
All the snow and rain showers have moved northeast of the region as the New England area prepares for blizzard-type conditions from the same system that brought the D.C. area its wet Thursday morning. There could be some brightening of the skies Thursday, but mostly to partly-cloudy skies. Flurries and some snow squalls may occur into the afternoon and evening commute. If any of these do occur, there may be a brief coating on the ground and even low visibilities.
Upcoming windy conditions are the main concern for Thursday. Gusts will fly out of the northwest moving at 35+ mph. With temperatures falling steadily, expect wind chills in the 20s for much of the daytime hours. After 6 p.m., wind chills will fall into the teens.
Get the full forecast on the WTOP.com weather page.
TRAFFIC:
Roads are wet. WTOP Traffic has no major incidents to report, though there are delays and traffic slowdowns due to the weather.
The outer loop of the Beltway in Maryland is now seeing heavier delays.
Northbound I-95 in Virginia is also now slowing amid heavy traffic.
Follow the latest traffic developments in WTOP’s Traffic blog.
COMMUTING/TRAVEL:
Area airports are already seeing hundreds of canceled flights. Reagan Airport cancellations have now hit 185, 75 at BWI and 47 at Dulles.
No problems are reported on MARC in Maryland or Virginia Railway Express.
Metrorail reports no problems at this time.
No delays reported on Amtrak.
Elsewhere along the East Coast, thousands of flights have been canceled, including 1,700 in New York area.
CLOSINGS AND DELAYS:
Get the full list on WTOP’s closings page.
LISTEN LIVE:
Listen live on WTOP.com, on the WTOP app or tune in to 103.5 FM.
