Trampoline stuck in a tree in Waverly Hills after a tornado in 2021 (staff photo)
Springtime is upon us and that means more frequent severe weather outbreaks.
To prepare residents, the Commonwealth of Virginia is holding its annual statewide tornado drill today at 9:45 a.m. A test alert will be broadcast on NOAA Weather Radio and the Emergency Alert System, but should not trigger mobile phone alerts.
Participating businesses and schools will prepare taking shelter during the drill.
Virginia's statewide Tornado Drill is @ 9:45am (Tue). The Routine Monthly Test (RMT) EAS code won't trigger cell phones, but gives the opportunity to develop a plan & take shelter. Share your shelter spot during the drill using #ShowYourShelter#vawxhttps://t.co/ff1HAzsKVgpic.twitter.com/qojtwmAgek
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) March 7, 2023
Flags blowing in the wind at Arlington County government headquarters (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Arlington County is under a Wind Advisory for much of the day on Saturday.
Rain showers will give way to fog tonight (Friday) before the clouds clear Saturday and the wind starts blowing. Gusts of up to 50 mph are expected.
The gusty wind combined with waterlogged ground could topple trees and cause power outage.
More, below, from the National Weather Service.
256 PM EST Fri Mar 3 2023
…WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM TO 3 PM EST SATURDAY…
* WHAT…West to northwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected.
* WHERE…Portions of central, north central, northern and southern Maryland, The District of Columbia and northern Virginia.
* WHEN…From 10 AM to 3 PM EST Saturday.
* IMPACTS…Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects.
High Wind Warnings and Wind Advisories have been issued, generally for late tonight into Saturday. Areas of wind damage and scattered power outages expected from gusty NW winds. For more detailed info on timing & locations, visit: https://t.co/5RyZgpfrqr#DCwx#MDwx#VAwx#WVwxpic.twitter.com/4Kfhis40Kw
— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) March 3, 2023
On one hand, it’s hard to argue against temperatures in the 70s in isolation. On the other hand, there is just something disconcerting about experiencing that in February.
WHOA… 80 degrees in February!!?? No snowy photos for us this winter, so taking a blast from winter past! pic.twitter.com/3VEHtbiZw5
Flags blowing in the wind at Arlington County government headquarters (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Get ready for a particularly breezy afternoon and evening.
Arlington and much of the D.C. region will be under a Wind Advisory, starting at 1 p.m. today (Tuesday).
…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM EST THIS EVENING…
* WHAT…West winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts around 50 mph expected.
* WHERE…The Washington and Baltimore Metropolitan areas, northern and central Virginia, and eastern West Virginia.
* WHEN…From 1 PM this afternoon to 7 PM EST this evening.
* IMPACTS…Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects.
A strong cold front will approach the area this morning and continue through the early and mid-afternoon hours. Mild conditions with gusty WNW winds will persist through the early evening hours. Wind Advisories and Gale Warnings are in effect for some areas through later today. pic.twitter.com/JoHiRR33zW
Although some overnight rain dampened the ground, low humidity this afternoon may enhance the risk of wildfires.
Arlington is not immune from such risks and typically sees a few smallbrushfires each year.
…ENHANCED THREAT FOR THE SPREAD OF WILDFIRES THIS AFTERNOON…
West winds of 20 to 30 mph will gust to 40 to 50 mph will develop this afternoon into early this evening across central Virginia, northern Virginia, and the Shenandoah Valley. These westerly winds will be accompanied by minimum relative humidity values of 20 to 30 percent. Although fuels are relatively damp owing to recent rainfall, they will quickly dry out, leading to an enhanced threat for the spread of wildfires.
Outdoor burning is strongly discouraged during this time. Please refer to your local burn permitting authority on whether you can burn. If you do burn, use extreme caution and ensure fire suppression is readily available.
Also today, there’s a chance of thunderstorms with the passing of a cold front in the early afternoon.
Some of the isolated storms may cross the immediate D.C. region.
Showers and an isolated thunderstorm are possible early this afternoon (approximately noon-3 PM) from U.S. 15 eastward (includes the DC & Baltimore metros) and into areas of southern MD. The main threats are strong gusty winds and small hail. #MDwx#VAwx#DCwxpic.twitter.com/xqRo0zB3zV
Flags blowing in the wind at Arlington County government headquarters (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
If you haven’t noticed, it’s really windy outside — and that has prompted what we believe is the first Wind Advisory of the year for Arlington.
Forecasters caution that downed tree limbs and power outages are possible. Currently, no outages are being reported in Arlington by Dominion, but the power company is reporting nearly 3,600 customers without power in neighboring Fairfax County.
From the National Weather Service:
321 PM EST Fri Feb 17 2023
…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING…
* WHAT…Northwest winds 20 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.
* WHERE…Northern and central Maryland, the Washington and Baltimore Metropolitan areas, northern Virginia,the Blue Ridge Mountains, and the eastern Panhandle of West Virginia.
* WHEN…Until 7 PM EST this evening.
* IMPACTS…Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects.
Strong winds are expected through this evening. A Wind Advisory is in effect for portions of the area (see map) where northwest wind gusts around 45 to 50 mph are expected. pic.twitter.com/xEVNy0v031
An icy rail in the Shirlington area (Flickr pool photo by Erinn Shirley)
(Updated at 7:35 a.m.) Arlington will be under both a Wind Advisory and, later, a Wind Chill Advisory on Friday.
The wind is expected to whip up starting Friday morning, then temperatures will plummet throughout the day. The combination will lead to dangerous conditions for anyone outside.
To make matters worse, the strong winds — gusts of up to 50 mph are expected — may knock out power and leave some locals in the cold.
From the National Weather Service:
737 PM EST Thu Dec 22 2022
…WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 8 AM TO 2 PM EST FRIDAY…
* WHAT…West winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected.
* WHERE…Portions of central, north central, northeast, northern and southern Maryland, The District of Columbia and central and northern Virginia.
* WHEN…From 8 AM to 2 PM EST Friday.
* IMPACTS…Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Bitterly cold wind chills will be ongoing during the time of this high wind event. It is essential to make preparations now for extreme cold conditions with the potential for loss of power.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Use extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects.
Also from NWS:
725 PM EST Thu Dec 22 2022
…WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM FRIDAY TO 10 AM EST SATURDAY…
* WHAT…Very cold wind chills expected. Wind chills as low as 10 below zero.
* WHERE…Portions of central, northeast, northern and southern Maryland, The District of Columbia and central and northern Virginia.
* WHEN…From 7 PM Friday to 10 AM EST Saturday.
* IMPACTS…The cold wind chills could result in hypothermia if precautions are not taken.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…The highest wind speeds will be Friday into Friday evening. Affects from the extreme cold could be made worse due to power outages.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Use caution while traveling outside. Wear appropriate clothing, a hat, and gloves.
Meanwhile, icy roads are possible due to a rapid freeze of wet surfaces following the passing of an arctic front, forecasters say.
ICY ROADS POSSIBLE TODAY for District of Columbia [DC] and Anne Arundel, Calvert, Carroll, Cecil, Central and Eastern Allegany, Central and Southeast Howard, Central and Southeast Montgomery, Frederick, Northern Baltimore, Northwest… till 11:45 AM EST https://t.co/u15MZXIe2hpic.twitter.com/SHJ29bilcc
VDOT snow plow spreading salt on N. Glebe Read in 2021 (staff photo)
(Updated at 3:45 p.m.) A major storm affecting most of the eastern U.S. and midwest is set to ramp up tomorrow, making for hazardous holiday travel.
Ahead of the storm, the Virginia Dept. of Transportation sent a clear message this afternoon: start your trip now, if you can.
The storm will mostly bring the D.C. area copious amounts of rain starting Thursday morning, along with gusty winds and bitter cold temperatures on Friday. Frozen precipitation beyond some possible snow flurries is not expected in Arlington, but points west and north will likely see snow, sleet and freezing rain.
Along I-81 and the Blue Ridge, the storm is expected to be a high-impact event, and travel on Thursday is “not advised,” VDOT says.
More from a VDOT press release, below.
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is advising motorists traveling in and through Virginia to adjust their holiday travel ahead of winter weather expected in parts of the Commonwealth beginning Wednesday night and continuing through Friday.
Travelers are advised to shift holiday travel to Wednesday if possible. Travel on Thursday is not advised, especially through the western regions of Virginia along the Interstate 81 corridor, to avoid potentially hazardous conditions created by forecasted winter weather.
According to current forecasts, wintry precipitation is expected to arrive as soon as 11 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 21 in the southwestern regions of the state, and move northward through the western third of the state, and into portions of northern Virginia through Thursday. Periods of heavy snow are expected along the northern sections of I-81 and the mountain passes including Interstate 64 over Afton Mountain and Rt. 33 between Standardsville and Harrisonburg early Thursday. Temperatures are expected to drop rapidly through the day on Friday leading to the potential for refreeze in areas where the pavement remains wet.
VDOT crews are pretreating roadways and interstates today in anticipation of the weather event.
With extreme low temperatures expected to move in Friday, motorists, if traveling, should pack an emergency kit and blankets, and have mobile devices fully charged in the event of a breakdown or emergency.
“Please continue to monitor forecasts closely as forecasts can improve or worsen quickly,” VDOT said in a separate advisory. “Drivers should expect roads to be impacted Thursday and Friday… Treat anything that looks wet as if it could be icy, especially bridges, ramps, overpasses, and elevated surfaces. If there is snow or ice on roadways, travel is hazardous.”
The transportation agency is currently pretreating roads and “will begin deploying trucks early Thursday morning to treat roads as needed.”
“Adjust travel plans and avoid all nonessential travel during the height of the storm,” VDOT said “This helps to avoid deteriorating conditions and to allow crews room to work.”
A Flood Watch, meanwhile, has been issued for the D.C. area ahead of the rain.
322 PM EST Wed Dec 21 2022
…FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH LATE THURSDAY NIGHT…
* WHAT…Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.
* WHERE…DC and portions of Maryland and northern Virginia, including the following areas: District of Columbia. In Maryland, Anne Arundel, Cecil, Central and Southeast Howard, Central and Southeast Montgomery, Prince Georges, Southeast Harford and Southern Baltimore. In northern Virginia, Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria, Fairfax and Prince William/Manassas/Manassas Park.
* WHEN…From Thursday morning through late Thursday night.
* IMPACTS…Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…
– Moderate rainfall is expected Thursday into Thursday evening, with rainfall totals of one to two inches. This may lead to isolated instances of flooding, especially in urban and poor drainage areas.
– http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.
VDOT released the following timeline of expected conditions in Northern Virginia and western zones through Christmas.
Freezing rain clings to trees in Westover in 2021 (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)
Freezing rain will likely fall early Thursday, prompting a Winter Weather Advisory from the National Weather Service.
Arlington could see dangerous, icy conditions on local roads tomorrow morning, forecasters say. Eventually, the frozen precipitation will switch over to just plain rain as temperatures rise during the day.
Gusty winds are also expected on Thursday.
From from NWS:
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 1 PM EST THURSDAY…
* WHAT…Freezing rain expected. Total ice accumulations of a glaze to around one tenth of an inch.
* WHERE…Portions of central, northeast and northern Maryland, The District of Columbia and northern Virginia.
* WHEN…From 10 PM this evening to 1 PM EST Thursday.
* IMPACTS…Difficult travel conditions are possible. The hazardous conditions will likely impact the morning commute on Thursday.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Wintry precipitation begins this evening, then becomes more intense tonight into Thursday morning. Warmer air should push in Thursday afternoon changing the precipitation to rain.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Slow down and use caution while traveling.
When venturing outside, watch your first few steps taken on steps, sidewalks, and driveways, which could be icy and slippery, increasing your risk of a fall and injury.
Ice Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories have been issued. Significant icing is likely along and west of the Blue Ridge tonight through Thursday. Ice amounts of 0.25-0.75" are expected. Further east, up to 0.10" of ice is expected north & west of I-95. pic.twitter.com/RamBGLy4gN
The Capital Weather Gang says Arlington is on the approximate line between some ice accumulation and mostly wet roads, with northern portions of the county likely seeing more ice.
D.C.-area forecast: Thursday morning icy spots for some, then a soaking afternoon rain https://t.co/nRN5vXUCxN
VDOT, meanwhile, says it’s preparing to do battle with Mother Nature and try to keep roads passable.
From a VDOT press release:
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is mobilizing its equipment and resources in preparation for a winter weather event to impact parts of the Commonwealth Wednesday night into Thursday.
Incoming rain throughout Virginia is forecasted to shift to sleet and freezing rain in the northern, northwestern, and central areas of the Commonwealth beginning around 10 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 14 and going through the morning of Thursday, Dec. 15. This weather event is expected to impact VDOT’s Staunton, Salem, Culpeper, Northern Virginia and Lynchburg districts.
VDOT is paying close attention to the forecast and preparing for what could be a significant icing event. District crews will not apply liquid pretreatment to roads in areas where the event is forecasted to start as rain, which will wash away the pretreatment application. Crews are preparing equipment and will be ready to treat roadways with salt, sand and abrasives as precipitation transitions to sleet or freezing rain.
Motorists should pay attention to weather forecasts in areas where they plan to drive and delay travel on Thursday morning in the impacted areas, especially along the I-81 corridor, Culpeper and Northern Virginia regions.
Safety and Travel Resources
When winter weather arrives, residents and motorists should plan travel ahead of time, check road conditions, prepare an emergency car kit, follow forecasts and announcements and limit travel based on conditions. […]
Statewide Improvements for the 2022-2023 SeasonIn addition to its traditional year-round snow preparation, VDOT made improvements to address items from the Snow Removal and I-95 Incident Performance Audits by the State Inspector General and the Winter Weather Event and I-95 Interagency After-Action Report by CNA:
Improved contracting to be more flexible, competitive and attractive to contractors to address equipment and personnel shortages.
Improved communications and command structure for better internal and interagency cooperation during crisis events.
Assigned staff to drive routes and report on conditions to supplement traffic cameras.
Acquired a system to allow two-way communications between drivers and VDOT within a defined geographic area.
Continued participation in winter weather exercises, led by The Virginia Department of Emergency Management, to foster interagency cooperation.
Resources and Readiness
In addition to operational improvements, VDOT maintains a number of resources to contend with inclement weather.
$220 million statewide budgeted for winter weather in 2022-2023
11,493 pieces of equipment (VDOT-owned and contracted equipment combined, as of Nov. 30)
Approximately 1,148 vehicle contracts in process, and is continuing to receive additional contract bids (as of Nov. 30)
More than 696,000 tons of salt, sand and treated abrasives, and more than 2.3 million gallons of liquid calcium chloride and salt brine.
Fog along N. Glebe Road on Dec. 7, 2022 (staff photo)
Arlington is now included in a Dense Fog Advisory that was earlier issued for other parts of Virginia and Maryland.
The fog is expected to clear up overnight, but for now visibility outside is low and potentially treacherous for drivers.
From the National Weather Service:
URGENT – WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
1133 PM EST WED DEC 7 2022
…DENSE FOG ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 1 AM EST THURSDAY…
* WHAT…VISIBILITY ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS IN DENSE FOG.
* WHERE…IN DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. IN MARYLAND, CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST MONTGOMERY COUNTY. IN VIRGINIA, PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK AND FAIRFAX COUNTIES, AND ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA.
* WHEN…UNTIL 1 AM EST THURSDAY.
* IMPACTS…HAZARDOUS DRIVING CONDITIONS DUE TO LOW VISIBILITY.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
IF DRIVING, SLOW DOWN, USE YOUR HEADLIGHTS, AND LEAVE PLENTY OF DISTANCE AHEAD OF YOU.
The Dense Fog Advisory has been extended eastward to capture Fairfax, southern Montgomery, Arlington, and Prince William counties, as well as the District of Columbia. #VAwx#DCwx#MDwxpic.twitter.com/GyqOvhCpIn
Heavy rain along the Potomac River, with Rosslyn in the background (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
The remnants of Hurricane Nicole are heading our way, meaning a soggy and stormy Veterans Day is on tap.
The rain will start falling early Friday morning. Downpours and gusty winds are expected to follow as the day goes on, before the skies clear Saturday.
Officials are encouraging local residents to get ready now, clearing leaves from storm drains and gutters.
The storm will make for some large, soggy leaf piles on the side of the road. Arlington County does not start its vacuum leaf collection process until next week.
So far, no watches or warnings have been issued for the county. Nicole is packing a threat of localized flooding and isolated tornadoes, but Arlington is outside of the zones where those threats are most likely.
With remnants of Nicole arriving for the long weekend, now's a good time to clear gutters and downspouts. And if you see leaves covering a nearby storm drain, maybe sink your claws into that too? A grateful County thanks you. https://t.co/WXgcXEaV2Jpic.twitter.com/XJyOdqSKhs
— Arlington Department of Environmental Services (@ArlingtonDES) November 10, 2022
Increasing clouds today w/ showers arriving from the south tonight. Widespread rain overnight-Fri. AM w/ a lull midday. Additional showers & isolated severe storms Fri. aft-eve. Potential Hazards: damaging winds, an isolated tornado, & localized flooding. #VAwx#MDwx#WVwx#DCwxpic.twitter.com/bOVc28gKXD
10 AM EST November 10 Key Messages for #Nicole: Tropical storm conditions, a dangerous storm surge and damaging waves, and heavy rainfall continue over a large area. See https://t.co/tW4KeGe9uJ for more details. pic.twitter.com/kqLluAYH85
…FROST ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 9 AM EDT THURSDAY…
* WHAT…Temperatures as low as 34 will result in frost formation.
* WHERE…In District of Columbia, District of Columbia. In Maryland, Southern Baltimore, Prince Georges, Anne Arundel, St. Marys and Calvert Counties. In Virginia, Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria.
* WHEN…From 1 AM to 9 AM EDT Thursday.
* IMPACTS…Frost could kill sensitive outdoor vegetation if left uncovered.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold.
