freezing rain

Crews Pretreating Roads Ahead of Potentially Slippery Saturday

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County crews pretreating S. Glebe Road with brine (file photo)(Update at 2:15 p.m.) Arlington County is preparing for the possibility of snow, sleet and freezing rain on Saturday, though the exact forecast is still far from certain.

“Crews began pretreating roads yesterday and will continue today to prepare for the expected icy weather conditions on the roadways,” Arlington Dept. of Environmental Services spokeswoman Katie O’Brien told ARLnow.com Friday morning.

“Due to the low confidence of this forecast, we are still analyzing the level of response that will be required” on Saturday, O’Brien continued. “A determination of resource levels and time of activation will be made this afternoon.”

VDOT, meanwhile, is encouraging drivers to stay off the roads in Northern Virginia on Saturday.

Virginia Department of Transportation and contract crews are preparing for plummeting temperatures and a gamut of winter weather forecast for northern Virginia this weekend, from early Saturday morning through Sunday morning.

Drivers are asked to monitor weather reports for the latest updates to avoid being on the road during periods of limited visibility or icy conditions. Stay off roads Saturday or delay trips until Sunday if possible, to avoid being caught in deteriorating conditions as weather transitions between snow, sleet and freezing rain through the day.

Crews began pretreating roads yesterday and will be staged roadside in the region by 10 p.m. tonight. Throughout Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and Arlington* counties (*Arlington maintains own secondary roads) crews treat about 5,200 lane miles of interstates and other high-volume roads with liquid magnesium chloride or brine when conditions allow for winter weather. Learn more about northern Virginia’s snow preparations.

Why does VDOT ask drivers to stay home?

  • Visibility will be limited during periods of snow.
  • Freezing rain causes an ice glaze that is difficult to see. Black ice often looks like pavement that is simply wet, making it extremely hazardous for driving or walking.
  • Four-wheel drive vehicles cannot stop any better than two-wheel drive vehicles on ice.

It could be deja vu if the weather does trend toward more freezing rain. Icy weather caused a number of crashes and other problems on the roads in Arlington less than a month ago, on Saturday, Dec. 17.

Photos: Remembering the Presidents Day Snow and Ice Storm

By ARLnow.com
1/10

One day ago, Arlington was a frigid winter wonderland, with several inches of snow on the ground. There were dogs playing and kids sledding during the day, and a dangerous glaze of ice courtesy of freezing rain at night.

Today, as of Tuesday afternoon, the temperature was in the mid-40s, most of the snow and ice is gone or turned to slush, and some blue sky can even be seen outside.

In memory of the short-lived Presidents Day winter blast, here are some photos from our Flickr pool contributors, and some tweets from our Twitter followers.

https://twitter.com/MeganFitz/status/699305919197347840

Flickr photos courtesy Kevin Wolf, TheBeltWalk and Erinn Shirley

Schools Closed, County Government Open As Frozen Precipitation Turns to Heavy Rain

By ARLnow.com

Snow, ice and rain on a road and sidewalk in FairlingtonArlington Public Schools are closed today after an ice storm overnight.

APS announced the cancellation decision around 4:30 a.m, as most roads and sidewalks were still icy from freezing rain. Fairfax County Public Schools and many other local school systems made the same call, although D.C. Public Schools are only on a two hour delay.

From APS:

All APS Schools will be closed and offices will open at Noon. Essential personnel should report to work at their scheduled time. Extracurricular activities, interscholastic games, team practices, field trips, adult education classes, and programs in schools and on school grounds are canceled. For updates about Pool Operations, go to www.apsva.us/aquatics. For information about Arlington County operations go to www.arlingtonva.us.

As of 7:30 a.m., some streets and sidewalks were still treacherous, even as the freezing rain had changed over to plain rain earlier in the morning. As the temperature quickly warms into the 50s, the slick spots are becoming slushy and then melting completely.

The rain will be heavy at times today and some localized flooding is expected. The National Weather Service has issued.

* THROUGH THIS EVENING

* A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS THE REGION TODAY. THIS WILL RESULT IN RAIN… WHICH WILL BE HEAVY AT TIMES DURING THE FIRST HALF OF THE DAY. RAINFALL TOTALS ACROSS THE WATCH AREA ARE EXPECTED TO RANGE BETWEEN 0.50 TO 1.0 INCHES ACROSS SOUTHERN MARYLAND TO THE INTERSTATE 95 CORRIDOR TO 1.00 TO 1.50 INCHES WEST OF THE INTERSTATE 95 CORRIDOR. THE HEAVIEST RAINS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAINS AND NORTH CENTRAL AND WESTERN MARYLAND. THIS HEAVY RAINFALL COUPLED WITH SNOW MELT WILL LEAD TO THE POTENTIAL OF SMALL STREAMS AND TRIBUTARIES IN THE WATCH AREA TO OVERFLOW THEIR BANKS.

* SMALL STREAMS AND TRIBUTARIES MAY OVERFLOW THEIR BANKS. ADDITIONALLY… URBAN AREAS PRONE TO POOR DRAINAGE WILL BE SUSCEPTIBLE TO FLOODING. THE TIME FOR THE GREATEST THREAT OF FLOODING WILL BE FROM TUESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH TUESDAY EVENING.

The federal government is under a three hour delay today, with an unscheduled telework option for employees, the Office of Personnel Management announced. Arlington County government and courts, however, are opening on time, with unscheduled leave and telework options for employees, with a supervisor’s approval.

The county’s Dept. of Parks and Recreation, meanwhile, announced the following cancellations and delays.

  • Congregate meal programs located at Arlington Mill, Langston and Walter Reed are canceled.
  • All Early Childhood Programs (Preschool and Co-ops) are canceled.
  • DPR elementary or teen afterschool programs are canceled.
  • All Enjoy Arlington classes, 55+ classes, trips and nature center programs are canceled.
  • Sports league activities in APS standalone buildings are canceled.
  • Sports league activities in County facilities will proceed as scheduled based on weather conditions and the status of snow removal.
  • Gunston Community Center will open at 2 p.m. for normal operating hours.
  • Madison Center will open at 5 p.m. for normal operating hours.
  • Carver and Drew Community Centers will open at 6 p.m. for normal operating hours.
  • All other community centers, including joint use facilities located at Arlington Mill, Carver, Langston and Thomas Jefferson will open at noon.

VDOT Warns of Icy Road Conditions Tonight

By ARLnow.com

County and state road crews are working to keep main roads clear as the snow falls today, but VDOT says conditions may get worse tonight when snow changes to sleet and freezing rain.

VDOT is advising drivers to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary, particularly this afternoon. From a press release:

Virginia Department of Transportation crews continue to plow snow and treat roads across northern Virginia. Drivers are urged to stay home, as snow bursts quickly cover pavement between plow passes, and conditions are likely to deteriorate this afternoon when snow transitions to sleet and freezing rain. Through the evening, pavement temperatures are expected to remain several degrees colder than air temperatures, so that any precipitation will quickly freeze.

Close to 4,000 trucks will remain on duty through the day and overnight.

As Monday holidays tend to be popular travel days, VDOT asks that drivers strongly consider adjusting travel plans to avoid icy conditions.

If travel is absolutely necessary:

  • Check www.511virginia.org or the mobile app before leaving for latest road conditions.
  • Watch for black ice; brake and accelerate gently.
  • Ensure headlights are on, windshield wipers are in good condition and fluid is full.
  • Slow down and allow snow crews the right of way.
  • Report road hazards or ask questions – 800-FOR-ROAD (800-367-7623) or report a problem.

Winter Weather Advisory Issued for Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Ice on tree branches Forget the Winter Weather Advisory for an evening rush hour snowfall on Friday, which turned out to be a bust, the National Weather Service says some really messy winter weather will hit Arlington and the D.C. area on Monday.

NWS has issues a Winter Weather Advisory for Arlington, warning of the potential for several inches of snow followed by freezing rain on Monday.

The good news is that Monday is a federal and state holiday, though forecasters say an icy Tuesday morning commute is also a possibility.

… WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM MONDAY TO 10 AM EST TUESDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW… SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM MONDAY TO 10 AM EST TUESDAY.

* PRECIPITATION TYPE… SNOW… SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN.

* ACCUMULATION… 3 TO 5 INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET. AROUND ONE-TENTH OF AN INCH OF ICE FROM FREEZING RAIN.

* TIMING… SNOW WILL BEGIN BETWEEN 1 AND 3 AM MONDAY MORNING. SNOW WILL CHANGE TO SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN MONDAY AFTERNOON… AND ALL FREEZING RAIN MONDAY EVENING. PRECIPITATION WILL GRADUALLY CHANGE TO RAIN LATE MONDAY NIGHT INTO TUESDAY MORNING.

* WINDS… SOUTHEAST AROUND 5 TO 10 MPH.

* TEMPERATURES… IN THE TEENS TONIGHT… RISING INTO THE UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S MONDAY INTO MONDAY NIGHT. TEMPERATURES WILL RISE INTO THE MID AND UPPER 40S TUESDAY.

* IMPACTS… SNOW AND ICE WILL CAUSE SLIPPERY ROADS AND TRAVEL WILL BE DIFFICULT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW… SLEET… OR FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES… AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

UPDATE: Winter Storm Warning Issued for Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Update at 11:15 a.m. — The previous Winter Weather Advisory has been upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning.

Forecasters warn that sleet and freezing rain will continue through the day. Slippery conditions are already being reported around Arlington. If you absolutely must drive or walk outside today, do so carefully.

… WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM EST MONDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR FREEZING RAIN… WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 AM EST MONDAY. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* LOCATIONS… WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA… CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MARYLAND.
* HAZARD TYPES… SNOW… SLEET… AND FREEZING RAIN.
* ACCUMULATIONS… A COATING TO AN INCH OF SNOW AND SLEET. 1 TO 2 INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET NEAR THE MASON-DIXON LINE. ICE ACCUMULATION AROUND ONE QUARTER INCH.
* TIMING… SNOW AND SLEET WILL CHANGE TO FREEZING RAIN BETWEEN 11 AM AND 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON. THE HEAVIEST ICE ACCRETION FROM FROM FREEZING RAIN IS EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. PRECIPITATION WILL END THIS EVENING.
* IMPACTS… ROADS WILL BE SNOW AND ICE COVERED THROUGH TONIGHT. TRAVELLING WILL BE DANGEROUS.
* WINDS… SOUTH AROUND 5 TO 10 MPH.
* TEMPERATURES… RISING THROUGH THE 20S THIS AFTERNOON. TEMPERATURES WILL RISE INTO THE LOWER 30S THIS EVENING… AND REMAIN NEARLY STEADY OVERNIGHT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF ICE ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING.THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR IMPOSSIBLE.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Arlington and the surrounding D.C. area.

Forecasters say snow, sleet and freezing rain could make travel hazardous from Sunday morning to early Monday morning.

… WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM SUNDAY TO 3 AM EST MONDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW… SLEET… AND FREEZING RAIN… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM SUNDAY TO 3 AM EST MONDAY.

* LOCATIONS… WASHINGTON METROPOLITAN AREA AND SOUTHERN MARYLAND.
* HAZARD TYPES… SNOW… SLEET… AND FREEZING RAIN.
* ACCUMULATIONS… A COATING TO 1 INCH OF SNOW AND SLEET ACROSS WASHINGTON DC AND SOUTHERN MARYLAND. 1 TO 3 INCHES IN THE NORTHERN AND WESTERN SUBURBS OF WASHINGTON DC. ICE ACCUMULATION AROUND ONE TENTH OF AN INCH.
* TIMING… SNOW WILL BEGIN BETWEEN 7 AM AND 10 AM SUNDAY MORNING. SNOW WILL CHANGE TO SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN BETWEEN NOON AND 3 PM SUNDAY AFTERNOON. PRECIPITATION WILL END AS FREEZING RAIN SUNDAY NIGHT.
* IMPACTS… ROADS WILL BE SNOW AND ICE COVERED SUNDAY AND SUNDAY NIGHT. TRAVELLING WILL BE DANGEROUS DURING THIS TIME. VISIBILITY WILL BE REDUCED BELOW ONE-MILE AT TIMES IN SNOW SUNDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON.
* WINDS… SOUTH AROUND 5 TO 10 MPH.
* TEMPERATURES… RISING THROUGH THE 20S MORNING. TEMPERATURES WILL RISE INTO THE LOWER AND MIDDLE 30S SUNDAY AFTERNOON INTO SUNDAY NIGHT.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW… SLEET… OR FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES… AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

Winter Weather Advisory Issued for Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Water and ice (Flickr pool photo by ksrjghkegkdhgkk)Joining communities to the north and west, Arlington is now under a Winter Weather Advisory tonight (Thursday).

Rain is falling around Arlington as of 4:15 p.m.. Forecasters say sleet, freezing rain and snow are possible as temperatures drop this evening.

Already, Dulles International Airport and other parts of Northern Virginia are reporting sleet and freezing rain — raising the possibility of a messy evening commute.

From the National Weather Service:

…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS EVENING…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR FREEZING RAIN…SLEET AND SNOW… WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EST THIS EVENING.

* PRECIPITATION TYPE…FREEZING RAIN…SLEET AND SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS…SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATION LESS THAN ONE HALF INCH. ICE ACCUMULATION AROUND A TRACE.

* TIMING…THIS AFTERNOON AND EARLY EVENING. THE BEST CHANCE FOR FREEZING RAIN WILL BE BETWEEN 4 PM AND 8 PM THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

* TEMPERATURES…IN THE LOWER 30S…ESPECIALLY OUTSIDE OF DOWNTOWN WASHINGTON.

* WINDS…SOUTH 5 TO 10 MPH WITH GUSTS AROUND 15 MPH.

* IMPACTS…UNTREATED ROADS AND SIDEWALKS MAY BECOME ICY. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR HAZARDOUS TRAVEL DURING THE EVENING RUSH.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW…SLEET…OR FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES…AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

Flickr pool photo by ksrjghkegkdhgkk

APS Will Open Two Hours Late Due to Ice

By ARLnow.com

Ice on a sidewalk in the Rosslyn/Courthouse area(Updated at 7:00 a.m.) Although temperatures are on the rise, a thin layer of ice has formed on some roads and sidewalks around Arlington this morning.

As a result of the freezing rain and potentially slippery conditions, Arlington Public Schools has decided to open on a two-hour delay.

The school system made the announcement just after 4:30 a.m.:

“All Arlington Public Schools will open two hours late today. All administrative offices will open on time. Essential employees should report to work as scheduled. Twelve month employees may take unscheduled leave or telework. Please communicate your plans with your supervisor. Morning field trips are canceled. The Extended Day program will also open two hours late. For updates about Pool Operations, go to www.apsva.us/aquatics. For information about Arlington County operations go to www.arlingtonva.us.”

APS caught some criticism from a TV meteorologist last night for not making its call sooner.

So far, no problems have been reported on roads in Arlington that were pre-treated. Reagan National Airport, meanwhile, reports that runways are “open and in good condition,” although some flights have been canceled.

TV Meteorologist Gets in Twitter Fight with APS

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Public Schools has yet to announce any sort of delay Monday, despite concerns about freezing rain.

ABC 7 meteorologist Steve Rudin doesn’t think that’s such a good idea.

Over the course of several tweets Sunday night, Rudin reprimanded APS for not making an early delay call, like the federal government and numerous local school systems.

APS says it will wait until the early morning to make a final decision.

Arlington and other local school systems were criticized for not delaying school last Tuesday when snow was in the forecast; the snow turned out to be heavier than expected, causing major travel delays and numerous crashes.

Freezing Rain Advisory Issued

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County and much of the D.C. region is now under a Freezing Rain Advisory.

Forecasters say a period of light freezing rain is possible tomorrow morning, making travel hazardous.

From the National Weather Service:

… FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM EST MONDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 9 AM EST MONDAY.

* PRECIPITATION TYPE… FREEZING RAIN.
* ACCUMULATIONS… LESS THAN A TENTH OF AN INCH OF ICE.
* TIMING… PRECIPITATION WILL BEGIN FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST LATE THIS EVENING. FREEZING RAIN WILL BE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS… EVENTUALLY BECOMING PLAIN RAIN BY MONDAY MORNING.
* TEMPERATURES… IN THE LOWER 30S.
* WINDS… SOUTH 5 TO 10 MPH.
* IMPACTS… A THIN GLAZE OF ICE COULD FORM ON UNTREATED ROADS… SIDEWALKS… AND VEHICLES. DUE TO THE RECENT COLD WAVES… SOME SURFACES MAY BECOME ICY EVEN WITH AN AIR TEMPERATURE SLIGHTLY ABOVE FREEZING. TYPICALLY SHADED AREAS… AS WELL AS BRIDGES… WILL BE MOST SUSCEPTIBLE TO ICING. THE MORNING COMMUTE WILL BE IMPACTED.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN OR FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS. SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

Freezing Rain Advisory Issued

By ARLnow.com

The National Weather Service has issued a Freezing Rain Advisory for Arlington and the surrounding region.

Forecasters say up to a tenth of an inch of ice could fall between 7:00 tonight and tomorrow morning.

… FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM EST WEDNESDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM EST WEDNESDAY.

* PRECIPITATION TYPE… FREEZING RAIN.

* ACCUMULATIONS… UP TO ONE-TENTH INCH OF ICE FROM FREEZING RAIN.

* TIMING… FREEZING RAIN WILL BEGIN THIS EVENING AND CONTINUE OVERNIGHT. PRECIPITATION WILL THEN CHANGE TO RAIN WEDNESDAY MORNING.

* TEMPERATURES… NEAR 30 THIS EVENING RISING INTO THE LOWER 30S LATE TONIGHT. TEMPERATURES WILL RISE ABOVE FREEZING BY WEDNESDAY MORNING.

* WINDS… NORTHEAST 5 TO 10 MPH.

* IMPACTS… UNTREATED ROADS AND SIDEWALKS WILL BECOME SLIPPERY FROM ICE. TRAVEL MAY BECOME DIFFICULT DURING THIS TIME.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A FREEZING RAIN ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF FREEZING RAIN OR FREEZING DRIZZLE WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS. SLOW DOWN AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

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