snow

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

De-icing a plane at Reagan National Airport (Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf)

Snow Chance Today — Arlington may get some snow, sleet and freezing rain this afternoon. The area is under a Winter Weather Advisory, although forecasters think areas north and west of Arlington are at more of a risk of wintry weather and slippery roads. [Weather.com]

Two Dems Running for School Board — The deadline for candidates seeking the Democratic endorsement for school board was last night and two candidates filed before the deadline: Reid Goldstein and Sharon Dorsey. The Arlington County Democratic Committee will hold its school board caucus on May 14 and 16.

Opower Losing Money, Hiring — Courthouse-based Opower, a publicly-traded energy software company, reported its latest financial results yesterday. For 2014, the company reported $128.4 million in revenue, a 45 percent increase over 2013. Its operating loss was $40.8 million. The company is continuing its hiring spree, adding employees locally and at its offices in London, San Francisco, Tokyo and Singapore. [DC Inno, Yahoo Finance]

Armed Bank Robbery in Falls Church — A Wells Fargo bank in Falls Church was robbed yesterday by two armed men known as the “Black Hat Bandits.” The men are suspected of robbing seven other banks around the D.C. area. Arlington County police assisted Falls Church police in looking for the suspects immediately after the robbery. [Falls Church News-Press]

Old Map of Arlington — An 18th century map of what is now Arlington County shows mills along Four Mile Run and the “Road To The Falls,” known now as Glebe Road. [Ghosts of DC]

Smoke in Rosslyn Metro Station — More smoke was reported in the Rosslyn Metro station this morning, possibly due to a train’s brakes. [Twitter, Twitter]

Flickr pool photo by Kevin Wolf

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 THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.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.

Virginia Square Family Builds Igloo With Room for Two on Their Front Yard

By Ethan Rothstein
1/7

Record low temperatures and several snowstorms have some in Arlington feeling like they live in the Arctic, but one local family is taking it to the next level.

Graeme Lee, his wife and two children built an igloo on the front yard of their home on the 3500 block of 14th Street N., near Virginia Square. The structure with room for two adults serves as a play space for the family’s children, and Lee even drank a beer there with a neighbor.

Anyone passing through the igloo’s small entrance — which is key for keeping out the cold and wind — has to drag themselves through the snow, belly down. Inside, Lee’s family keeps a flashlight and a small Frisbee they use to rearrange the snow.

“Once you get in there, it’s remarkably warm and quiet,” he said.

The Lees built the igloo — which is topped with a nutcracker ornament with continually swinging arms — after the year’s first snow. First, they heaped snow into a mound to build a snowman. Noticing the mound looked like a dome, they opted to make an igloo.

“My wife took a snow-survival course, and learned how to make an emergency snow shelter,” Lee told ARLnow.com this morning as more snow fell. “I thought ‘Maybe we could do that in our yard.'”

The Australian natives, who both work for the federal government, let the snow settle on the dome for four days. Then, they spent an hour shaping its outside and its entrance, and another hour to carve out the inside with shovels.

The igloo survived rain and warmer weather on Saturday, which melted plenty of snow in the area. The igloo will remain on the Lees’ front yard until it melts.

Snow Tapering Off, But Some Road Are Slick

By ARLnow.com

Snowy commute on Route 110 at Memorial DriveThis morning’s snowfall is beginning to taper off, but not before causing some problems on the roads.

Many main roads were treated before the snow fell, making for an easy commute earlier this morning. The Arlington Public Schools cancellation and the federal government’s two hour delay resulted in much lighter traffic than usual.

As the snow has continued to fall throughout the morning commute, some neighborhood streets are now reported to be slick.

A hilly portion of S. Edgewood Street, near Columbia Pike, is being monitored by police due to cars getting stuck. Meanwhile, the following accident was photographed in Fairlington.

Arlington County government and county facilities are open, and trash and recycling collection is proceeding as usual.

Update at 9:55 a.m. — An Arlington County employee says that a lack of communication from the county, and at least one conflicting Facebook message, produced confusion among the county’s workforce this morning.

This morning the Arlington Employee Email alert system sent no message (at least to my phone) about County offices being open. This is in contrast to January 14, 26 and 27 (and most times when there are any weather questions in the past.) Moreover, for a period of time the County’s official Facebook page indicated that offices would be open two hours late. There was considerable confusion among County employees.

(I was momentarily confused by the Facebook message myself but chose to come to work anyway since there was no other notification one way or another.)

Not sure why communications broke down but of all days this is one where County employees could have used some accurate and timely guidance.

​Here is the message from January 27:

Arlington County government offices, courts, and facilities are open today, Tuesday, January 27, 2015. Unscheduled leave and telework options are available to County employees, with supervisor’s approval. GAS/ OEM​

No such message today. Nada.

Arlington Public Schools Closed Thursday

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 8:35 a.m.) Arlington Public Schools are closed Thursday.

APS made the call at 6:00 this morning, joining Alexandria, Fairfax County and numerous other local school systems that decided to close due to snow and poor road conditions.

Based on further review of the road conditions throughout the County, all APS Schools will be closed today and Offices will open two hours late. 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.

Today’s 9:15 a.m. elementary school information sessions have been canceled and will be rescheduled.

The federal government, meanwhile, is open on a two hour delay today.

Forecasters have upped their predicted snow totals. From the National Weather Service:

… WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON EST TODAY…

* LOCATIONS… WASHINGTON DC AND MOST MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA SUBURBS… ALONG WITH THE CENTRAL SHENANDOAH VALLEY AND NORTH- CENTRAL VIRGINIA.
* HAZARD TYPES… SNOW.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS… 2 TO 4 INCHES.
* TIMING… THROUGH THE MORNING. THE HEAVIEST SNOW WILL FALL DURING THE MORNING COMMUTE.
* IMPACTS… ROADS WILL BE SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY… PARTICULARLY FOR SOUTHEASTERN SUBURBS.
* WINDS… NORTHEAST 5 TO 10 MPH.
* TEMPERATURES… NEAR 30 DEGREES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES… AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

Winter Weather Advisory Issued for Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Driving in the snow on WednesdayThe National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Thursday morning.

Forecasters are only calling for 1-2 inches of snow, but even that could cause havoc because it is expected to be at its heaviest during the morning commute.

From NWS:

… WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO NOON EST THURSDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TO NOON EST THURSDAY.

* LOCATIONS… WASHINGTON DC AND ITS MARYLAND AND VIRGINIA SUBURBS.
* HAZARD TYPES… SNOW.
* SNOW ACCUMULATIONS… 1 TO 2 INCHES.
* TIMING… OVERNIGHT THROUGH LATE MORNING. SNOW IS EXPECTED TO BE HEAVIEST DURING THE MORNING COMMUTE.
* IMPACTS… ROADS MAY BE SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY.
* WINDS… NORTHEAST 5 TO 10 MPH.
* TEMPERATURES… IN THE LOWER TO MID 20S.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES… AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.

GW Baseball Plays Ball Despite Icy Conditions

By Ethan Rothstein
1/5

Through multiple snowstorms and historic cold, the George Washington University baseball team has endured, practicing and playing on its home turf in Arlington’s Barcroft Park.

Because Tucker Field at Barcroft Park is artificial turf, with the exception of the pitching mound, batter’s box and bullpen, the team has been able to practice outdoors most days, and has already played two home games; a win and a loss against the New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Many youth baseball players remember especially cold days as especially painful, with balls hit off the end of the bat resulting in hands stinging with pain for several minutes. But for serious college athletes, the cold is roundly ignored.

“It’s all a mental thing,” graduate student and fifth-year pitcher Craig LeJeune said in a phone interview today. “We’ve just got to wear a lot more shirts and undershirts. Once you get out there and warm up, you just go out there and play like it’s any other day.”

The Colonials’ third game is today at 2:30 p.m. against Georgetown University, at Barcroft Park. In between their two season-opening games against NJIT, the Colonials have had three games cancelled and two, against Georgetown and the University of Virginia, postponed.

The cancelled games have not meant that the Colonials have gotten a break. They have had some indoor practices, but most of their work has been outdoors, including when the field is still covered in snow.

“The biggest thing we like to do is keep it high-energy and high-tempo so the cold doesn’t really affect us,” assistant coach and recruiting coordinator Dave Lorber said. “If you’re doing the right things and running an efficient practice, the cold is not something you’re even thinking about.”

After hosting Georgetown tomorrow, Tucker Field will be the site of a three-game series against Niagara University this weekend. The Colonials start play against Atlantic 10 opponents March 20 with a trio of games against St. Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.

LeJeune said this year’s goal is to qualify for the A-10 tournament, played at Barcroft Park for the first time May 20-24.

“We want to make that [tournament] and defend the Tuck,” he said.

(more…)

Numerous Power Outages Reported Around Arlington

By ARLnow.com

Some 2,750 Dominion customers are reportedly without power in Arlington tonight (Saturday).

The outages appear to be centered around the Clarendon, Virginia Square, Cherrydale and East Falls Church neighborhoods.

Via Twitter, numerous Arlington residents reported seeing the bright flash of a transformer explosion. The East Falls Church outage, meanwhile, is said to be the result of a traffic accident.

UPDATED: Roads Snow-Covered in Arlington, Facilities Closing Early

By ARLnow.com

Single-vehicle accident on an I-395 ramp near the Pentagon during a snowstorm 2/21/15

Update at 6:10 p.m. — A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for Arlington and the D.C. area.

.. WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST SUNDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW… SLEET… AND FREEZING RAIN… WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST SUNDAY. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* PRECIPITATION TYPE… A MIX OF SNOW… SLEET… AND FREEZING RAIN TODAY THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING.
* ACCUMULATIONS… 4 TO 6 INCHES OF SNOW. ICE ACCUMULATIONS OF A TRACE TO A FEW HUNDREDTHS OF AN INCH.
* TIMING… SNOW WILL CONTINUE INTO THE EARLY EVENING HOURS… CHANGING TO A MIX OF SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN LATE THIS EVENING INTO TONIGHT. PRECIPITATION WILL CHANGE TO RAIN WITH AREAS OF FREEZING RAIN LATE TONIGHT INTO EARLY SUNDAY MORNING.
* TEMPERATURES… HIGHS TODAY IN THE MID TO UPPER 20S… SLOWLY RISING INTO THE LOWER AND MIDDLE 30S TONIGHT.
* WINDS… SOUTH 10 TO 15 MPH.
* IMPACTS… SNOW AND ICE WILL CAUSE HAZARDOUS TRAVELING CONDITIONS THROUGH TONIGHT AND POSSIBLY INTO SUNDAY MORNING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

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

(Updated at 1:30 p.m.) Snow is falling in Arlington and roads have quickly become snow-covered, making travel hazardous.

Several accidents have already been reported around the county during the snowfall. Arlington County is advising residents to stay off the roads “unless absolutely necessary.”

US Postal Service mail truck in the snow 2/21/15“Roads in Arlington are snow covered and blocked in many areas,” the county said in an Arlington Alert email. Road conditions are also considered to be treacherous. Do not go on the roads unless absolutely necessary.”

Police are shutting down a ramp from eastbound Route 50 to N. Courthouse Road due to especially slippery conditions. Several cars have reportedly gotten stuck on the ramp and the Courthouse Road hill. More problems are being reported at the intersection of Lee Highway and N. Danville Street, and elsewhere.

VDOT is also urging drivers to stay off the roads.

VDOT says it will have 1,400 trucks clearing snow in Northern Virginia today. It did not pre-treat roads due to low temperatures, which renders road salt ineffective.

Arlington community centers, libraries and schools will all shut down at 1:00 p.m. due to the snow. The Arlington County Board, which has a meeting current in progress, is planning to end its meeting early and defer its last action item until Tuesday.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory, calling for 2-4 inches of snow — the Capital Weather Gang says 5 or more inches is possible — before a warm-up that turns the precipitation into sleet, freezing rain and then plain rain.

UPDATED: Wind Chill Advisory Issued

By ARLnow.com

(Updated at 10:55 p.m.) Arlington County is under a Wind Chill Advisory throughout the day Thursday and much of Friday morning.

Wind chills are expected to fall below zero tonight, creating dangerous conditions for anybody spending time outside without proper clothing.

From the National Weather Service:

… WIND CHILL ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO 10 AM EST FRIDAY…

* WIND CHILL… 0 TO 10 DEGREES BELOW ZERO TONIGHT INTO THURSDAY. WIND CHILLS ON THURSDAY NIGHT ARE EXPECTED TO DROP INTO THE 5 TO 15 BELOW ZERO RANGE.
* TEMPERATURES… LOWS TONIGHT IN THE SINGLE DIGITS. HIGHS THURSDAY IN THE MID TO UPPER TEENS. LOWS THURSDAY NIGHT WILL DROP INTO THE SINGLE DIGITS AND SUB-ZERO VALUES.
* WINDS… WEST 15 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 35 MPH… WITH GUSTS SUBSIDING TO 15 TO 25 MPH THURSDAY NIGHT.
* IMPACTS… THE COMBINATION OF GUSTY WINDS AND COLD TEMPERATURES TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY MAY RESULT IN DANGEROUS WIND CHILLS THAT CAN QUICKLY CAUSE HYPOTHERMIA AND FROST BITE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WIND CHILL ADVISORY MEANS THAT VERY COLD AIR AND STRONG WINDS WILL COMBINE TO GENERATE LOW WIND CHILLS. THIS WILL RESULT IN FROST BITE AND LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. IF YOU MUST VENTURE OUTDOORS… MAKE SURE YOU WEAR A HAT AND GLOVES.

Forecasters are also warning of icy conditions on local roadways.

… PATCHES OF ICE POSSIBLE ON ROADS OVERNIGHT…

WHERE WIND IS NOT ABLE TO DRY OUT ROADWAYS WHERE SNOW FELL EARLIER… PATCHES OF ICE WILL DEVELOP TONIGHT ON UNTREATED ROADS AS TEMPERATURES FALL WELL BELOW FREEZING. IN ADDITION… THE GUSTY WINDS MAY BLOW THE FLUFFY SNOW THAT FELL TODAY BACK ACROSS ROADWAYS.

PLEASE USE EXTRA CAUTION IF TRAVELING. REDUCE SPEED AND STAY ALERT FOR PATCHES OF ICE AND SLICK ROAD CONDITIONS.

Earlier tonight, a snow squall threatened to cause problems for commuters during the evening rush hour. The squall weakened as it approached the area, and only resulted in a brief period of snow in Arlington that produced little or no delays.

Our original coverage of that, after the jump.

(more…)

Morning Poll: Grade the County’s Snow Removal Effort

By ARLnow.com

Snow removal in Pentagon City 2/17/15

About 4-5 inches of snow fell in Arlington Monday night and Tuesday morning.

County crews worked throughout the night and day to clear primary and secondary roads, before starting to tackle neighborhood streets. Compared to past, disruptive snowstorms, they had some things working in their favor:

  • The snow fell overnight, not during a rush hour
  • It was predicted correctly well in advance
  • It was a light, fluffy snow and, because the ground was already cold from the frigid weekend, there was minimal melting and refreezing
  • Schools and the federal government closed for the day, limiting vehicle traffic

Regardless of the circumstances, how would you rate the county’s job in clearing the streets Tuesday?

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