snow

Roads Become Covered As Snowstorm Ramps Up

By ARLnow.com
1/10

(Updated at 3:45 p.m.) Road conditions around Arlington are bad and are only expected to get worse as today’s snowstorm increases in intensity around rush hour.

Numerous crashes, involving cars, postal vehicles and buses, have been reported on Arlington’s roads and highways this afternoon. Other vehicles are getting stuck or spinning out of control on snow-covered hills. Sections of George Mason Drive and Carlin Springs Road are particularly treacherous, we hear.

ART buses are operating under a Severe Weather Policy, with limited service for ART 41, 51 and 77 routes and all other routes cancelled.

Via Twitter, Arlington residents report 1.5 to 3 inches of snow on the ground so far, with higher amounts generally to the north. The National Weather Service says 6-10 inches of snow will fall by the time the flakes tapers off tonight.

In addition to the snow, frigid temperatures and high winds are expected to bring additional wintry misery tonight. The predicted -5 to -15 degree wind chills prompted a plea from Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D).

“I urge every Virginian to make proper preparations as this storm moves in and brings snow, potentially life-threatening low temperatures and high winds,” Gov. McAuliffe said in a statement. “Unfortunately, injuries and even deaths from hypothermia, heart attack, stroke and traffic crashes are all too common during the winter storms of this type. Don’t travel unnecessarily, and be prepared to stay where you are until conditions improve.”

UPDATED: County Facilities Closing at Noon

By ARLnow.com

Snow in Pentagon City on 1/21/14

(Updated at 11:25 a.m.) Arlington County government offices, facilities, public schools, pools, community centers and courts are closing at noon today due to the winter storm currently bearing down on the area.

All afternoon and evening activities at Arlington public schools  have been canceled.

The county says it’s in a “Phase 2 Alert” for snow removal. Crews are ready to treat and plow primary and secondary roads that may become snow-covered.

Trash collection has been suspended for the remainder of the day.

“Trash and recycling services have been suspended for Tuesday, Jan. 21 due to winter weather,” said Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services. “Please remove your carts from the curb for the safety and efficiency of our snow plows and crews.”

The City of Falls Church has declared a snow emergency and is ordering residents to remove cars on snow emergency routes or face towing and fines. Arlington so far has not declared a snow emergency.

County, State Crews Preparing for Winter Storm

By ARLnow.com

Road salt being loaded onto a salt truck at the VDOT facility on Columbia PikeRoad crews from Arlington County and VDOT have been out in force today pre-treating roads in anticipation of tomorrow’s winter storm.

With 4-8 inches of snow likely, Arlington County says its crews are in a “Phase 1 alert” and are “prepped and ready to go.”

“We called in a team today to hook up our trucks with chains, spreaders and plows,” said Shannon Whalen McDaniel, spokeswoman for Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services. “We will also brine the roads throughout the night in preparation.”

VDOT, meanwhile, said “crews are pre-treating roads aggressively throughout Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William and Arlington counties today.”

“Crews will be out in force overnight and through the duration of the storm, treating icy roads and plowing snow,” VDOT said in a press release. “While VDOT is in full preparation mode, motorists are urged to make sure their vehicles are in proper driving condition for winter weather and have emergency kits. During the storm, motorists should avoid driving on the roads.”

WMATA says it will start the Tuesday on a normal weekday Metrorail and bus schedule, but may reduce rail service and suspend bus service later in the day as conditions deteriorate. MetroAccess service has been suspended for all of Tuesday.

“For your safety, travel only if necessary,” Metro said in an advisory. “If you must travel, plan to arrive at your destination before the worst of the storm, and be prepared to remain there until the storm passes. Check wmata.com before starting your trip or sign up for MetroAlerts to receive updated service information by email or text message.”

UPDATED: NWS Says 4-8 Inches of Snow Likely

By ARLnow.com

Snowball fight in front of the Clarendon Metro station on Feb. 6, 2010

(Updated at 10:40 p.m.) The National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Warning for Arlington the rest of the D.C. area this afternoon.

As of Monday night, forecasters are saying that 4-8 inches of snow is likely on Tuesday, with the heaviest snow falling around the evening rush hour.

Arlington Public Schools will be closed tomorrow due to a scheduled teacher work day. Alexandria and Fairfax County schools, among other local school systems, have announced that they will be closed Tuesday due to the snow.

From NWS:

… WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 7 AM TO 11 PM EST TUESDAY…

* PRECIPITATION TYPE… SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS… 4 TO 8 INCHES… WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS POSSIBLE.

* TIMING… SNOW WILL DEVELOP BETWEEN 7 AM AND 10 AM TUESDAY MORNING. THE HEAVIEST SNOW IS EXPECTED DURING THE MIDDAY AND AFTERNOON HOURS. SNOW WILL TAPER OFF TUESDAY EVENING.

* TEMPERATURES… IN THE 20S WHEN SNOW BEGINS TUESDAY MORNING… THEN FALLING INTO THE TEENS TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING. WIND CHILL VALUES WILL BE IN THE SINGLE DIGITS TUESDAY AFTERNOON… FALLING TO AROUND 10 BELOW ZERO TUESDAY EVENING.

* WINDS… NORTHEAST 5 TO 10 MPH… INCREASING TO 10 TO 20 MPH WITH GUSTS AROUND 30 MPH TUESDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

* IMPACTS… ROADS WILL BE SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY. THE COMBINATION OF SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL REDUCE VISIBILITY TO BELOW ONE-HALF MILE AT TIMES. TRAVELING WILL BECOME DANGEROUS TUESDAY. THE MORNING COMMUTE MAY BE IMPACTED BY THE SNOW… AND SIGNIFICANT IMPACT IS EXPECTED FOR THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING COMMUTE.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. ONLY TRAVEL IN AN EMERGENCY. IF YOU MUST TRAVEL… KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT… FOOD… AND WATER IN YOUR VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

Photos: Snow and Ice Around Arlington

By Ethan Rothstein
1/13

It might be cold and icy, but through a camera lens the snow that fell on Arlington last night can really look beautiful.

Arlington received about 2 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service. Above are photos of the resulting winter wonderland sent to us via email, Twitter and Flickr.

More information about snow clearing in Arlington can be found on the Arlington County website.

Storm Closes Schools, Knocks Out Power

By Katie Pyzyk

Washington Blvd covered in ice on 1/3/2014Arlington Public Schools made the decision early this morning to close for today (January 3) following last night’s snow storm.

The Arlington County government will still open on time. Federal government employees have the option for unscheduled leave or unscheduled telework today.

The Arlington County Office of Emergency Management reports that trees and wires came down around the county during the overnight hours. Crews are currently on the scene of a large tree and wires down in the roadway at S. 23rd Street between S. Kent Street and S. Lynn Street. The road will be closed until the obstruction is safely removed. The incident has knocked out power to more than 500 homes, according to Dominion Power.

A number of roads, including some main arteries such as Washington Blvd. (pictured above), are covered in a layer of frozen slush because of the frigid temperatures following the storm. The Department of Environmental Services reports the county’s roads were not pre-treated yesterday because the forecast called for rain, to be followed by some snow.

“If we pre-treated the streets, the salt or brine would have been washed away and ineffective. Of course, the weather changed on us and snow came earlier and the temperature dropped sooner,” said DES Spokeswoman Jennifer Heilman. “Despite the change, WSS (Water, Sewer, Streets Bureau) has had 21 trucks out spreading salt since midnight. We were able to get some trucks on the roads treating high elevations and bridges around 9 p.m. (Thursday) when the snow started earlier than expected. They have been on primary (red) and secondary (blue) streets as well as the school routes (green). Many residential streets were also treated.”

More resources about the county’s snow response and any alerts can be found on the Arlington Snow & Ice Central website.

Wind Advisory Issued as Bitter Cold, Snow Moves In

By ARLnow.com

The National Weather Service has issued a Wind Advisory for Arlington and the D.C. region Friday.

Wind gusts of up to 50 miles per hour are expected to combine with temperatures between 14 and 21 degrees for a bitterly cold Friday. Meanwhile, snow is currently moving in to the area, as forecasters are calling for about an inch of accumulation in Arlington through Friday morning.

The wind advisory from NWS is below.

…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO NOON EST FRIDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 2 AM TO NOON EST FRIDAY.

* TIMING…LATE TONIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING.

* WINDS…NORTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS AROUND 50 MPH.

* IMPACTS…SCATTERED TREE AND POWER LINE DAMAGE. DIFFICULTY DRIVING HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT WIND GUSTS OF 45 TO 55 MPH ARE EXPECTED. SECURE OUTDOOR FURNITURE AND TAKE CARE DRIVING HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES.

AAA Mid-Atlantic is warning drivers to prepare for the extreme cold.

“Extreme temperature shifts are hard on your vehicle, so don’t get caught off guard by the coming winter weather,” said AAA Mid-Atlantic spokesman Lon Anderson. “Drivers should make sure their vehicles are prepared with proper levels of antifreeze, a strong battery, and plenty of windshield washer fluid. Also keep an emergency kit in the trunk should you run into any problems during your commute.”

Morning Poll: Will You Trust The Next Snow Forecast?

By ARLnow.com

Snow Falling in BuckinghamAnother day, another underwhelming winter storm.

Arlington snow lovers have been disappointed yet again by a hyped-up storm that ultimately fizzled out. It’s enough for a weather-watcher to shed frozen tears — if only the temperature was cold enough for those tears to freeze.

Clearly, forecasting winter weather in the D.C. area is a challenge, given the area’s propensity for hovering just above the freezing mark when winter precipitation threatens. In fact, meteorologists are being challenged by yet another possible “mixed precipitation” storm, heading toward the Washington region this weekend.

It would be easy at this point to let the chicken little effect set in, dismissing all future snow forecasts, at least for inside the Beltway. But then you run the risk of winding up stranded on a highway when a real snow storm hits.

When the next significant snowfall is forecast, will you trust the prediction?
 

Snow Delays Some County Services, Parking Still Enforced

By Katie Pyzyk

Snow Falling in BuckinghamUpdate at 4:00 p.m. — The Department of Environmental Services says all of its trucks are back out this afternoon to spread salt and make sure snow and ice are melting on residential streets. A small team will remain on standby overnight to address any possible areas that may re-freeze.

Earlier — All of the weather advisories for Arlington County have been cancelled and the snow has stopped falling, but the storm’s effects still linger around the county.

There are 250 customers without power according to Dominion’s outage map. Some of those are residual from Sunday’s ice storm, which knocked out power to about 1,700 Arlington customers.

VDOT reports having more than 1,900 trucks clearing state roads throughout Northern Virginia. Arlington County sent out crews on its streets beginning at 4:00 a.m. to treat primary and secondary roads. Traffic cameras show most major roads are clear and traffic is largely moving smoothly throughout the county as of 2:00 p.m. Drivers are encouraged to exercise extra caution through tomorrow because temperatures will drop and slush on the roads could freeze.

The Arlington County government remained open but the following services have been affected:

  • Trash/Recycling/Brush collection crews are performing collection services. If they are unable to get to certain streets because of the street conditions, they will go back and complete collection tomorrow.
  • Vacuum leaf collection has been canceled for today. Collection will resume in zone three tomorrow.
  • Bag leaf collection crews are out collecting leaves today. If crews are unable to get to certain streets because of the conditions, they will also go back and complete the collections tomorrow.
  • Mulch deliveries for today have been rescheduled for tomorrow. Customers have been notified.

ART buses had been operating on a limited schedule earlier today and they returned to normal by late morning.

According to the Arlington County Police Department, Public Service Aides still will enforce parking regulations. Parking enforcement is in place every day the county government is open for business. However, Public Service Aides only will be used for parking enforcement duties today when they are not busy assisting police with necessary functions related to winter weather.

Although officers and emergency responders are out in full force to assist with emergencies, residents are asked to remain off the roads for safety reasons.

“Residents are encouraged to stay off the roads today and minimize their traveling if possible,” said ACPD spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. “If they need to go out then they are encouraged to use public transportation in an attempt to minimize accidents, road congestion and so that county staff and road crews can perform their jobs as safely as possible.”

Arlington Public Schools closed today and so far no decision has been made about Wednesday. From APS:

“APS will continue to monitor the road conditions in collaboration with Arlington County and our regional partners throughout the remainder of the day, tonight and early tomorrow morning. If APS opens on time on Wed, Dec. 11, we will go forward with the previously-announced school calendar, including the scheduled countywide elementary early release. If schools have a two-hour delayed opening tomorrow, the elementary early release will be cancelled and school will end at the normal dismissal time, in accordance with our normal procedures.”

Schools, Feds Close as Flakes Start Falling

By ARLnow.com

Snow starting to stick in Pentagon CityArlington Public Schools are closed for the day as the area braces for a big wallop of snow.

APS announced the decision just after 5:00 this morning. Classes are canceled but school offices are to remain open, with essential employees still expected to report to work.

The federal government, meanwhile, is closed this morning, as are Arlington County courts. But Arlington County government will be open, with an unscheduled leave and telework policy for employees. ART buses will operate on a limited schedule.

Snow in Arlington began later than areas west and north, owing to temperatures just above freezing, but all parts of the county appear to have switched from rain to snow by 7:15 a.m.

Winter Storm Warning Issued

By ARLnow.com

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for Arlington and the D.C. region.

Up to 6 inches of snow are forecast for the area. From NWS:

… WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 2 PM EST TUESDAY…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 3 AM TO 2 PM EST TUESDAY. THE WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* PRECIPITATION TYPE… SNOW… HEAVY AT TIMES. PRECIPITATION MAY START AS A PERIOD OF SNOW AND SLEET BEFORE DAWN CHANGING TO ALL SNOW AFTER DAYBREAK.

* ACCUMULATIONS… 3 TO 6 INCHES.

* TIMING… AROUND DAYBREAK TUESDAY LASTING THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY AFTERNOON… INCLUDING THE TUESDAY MORNING RUSH HOUR.

* TEMPERATURES… UPPER 20S TO LOWER 30S.

* WINDS… NORTHWEST 5 TO 10 MPH.

* IMPACTS… HAZARDOUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED FROM HEAVY SNOW. THE SNOW WILL IMPACT THE MORNING RUSH TUESDAY WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR ACCUMULATION RATES OF 1-2 INCHES PER HOUR.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW WILL MAKE TRAVEL HAZARDOUS.

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