Sunday afternoon snow in Westover last month (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Arlington is expected to get 1-2 inches of snow tomorrow, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a Winter Weather Advisory this morning.
The advisory cautions against slippery conditions on local roads as a result of the snow, which is expected to start falling overnight. The snow should wrap up before the kickoff of the Super Bowl Sunday evening.
The advisory from NWS is below.
1000 AM EST Sat Feb 12 2022
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 4 PM EST SUNDAY…
* WHAT…Snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 2 inches, with up to 4 inches locally.
* WHERE…The District of Columbia, portions of central, northeast and northern Maryland and central, northern and northwest Virginia.
* WHEN…From 1 AM to 4 PM EST Sunday.
* IMPACTS…Plan on slippery road conditions.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…The heaviest accumulations will be on non-paved surfaces.
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.
Groundhog Day 2002 at Gobbler’s Knob (staff photo)
Punxsutawney Phil, the world’s most famous weather-forecasting groundhog, saw his shadow Wednesday morning, thus predicting six more weeks of winter.
“As I look over the faces of the true believers from around the world, I bask in the warmth of your hearts, I couldn’t imagine a better fate, with my shadow I have cast than a long, lustrous six more weeks of winter,” Phil said in a statement, as read by a member of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club’s Inner Circle.
Setting aside questions of Phil’s forecast accuracy raised by naysayers like the National Weather Service, how do you feel about the prospect of six more weeks of winter here in Arlington, after a relatively cold and snowy January?
Crews with the Department of Environmental Services’ Water, Sewer and Streets Bureau repaired 47 water mains in January, as of 6 p.m. Monday, with two repairs in progress and six planned, said DES spokesman Peter Golkin.
By comparison, January 2021 saw 30 main breaks, up from 19 in January 2020 and eight in January 2019, he noted.
Golkin, who runs the DES Twitter feed, attributed the “above-average number of water main breaks” to “an unusually intense winter” in a recent tweet.
“Recent winters have been fairly mild,” Golkin tells ARLnow. “But we are seeing an upward trend for breaks over the past four years.”
Winter weather exacerbates the other reasons these mains break: age and materials used. Rehabilitating and replacing old water mains has been and continues to be a decades-long county effort.
Arlington has about 500 miles of pipes that bring water to homes and businesses. Of those, about 60% are cast iron pipes more than 50 years old — and thus prone to leaking.
“So age is a factor in the sense of which type of iron we’re dealing with,” he said. “Arlington’s cast iron pipes were not lined with a protective coating to prevent corrosion. While for the most part they’re in good condition, over time the inner and outer diameter thins. Then, factor in winter and the differences in temperature between pipe, water and surrounding soil and you get stresses on the pipes.”
When mains break, crews stop the flow of water, which can cause temporary service disruptions to some properties. Repairs can take six to eight hours from when leaks are reported but could take longer if they’re on a major water line and involve significant damage.
And right now, responding to leaks is a grueling job, Golkin says.
“Crew safety and health is always the preeminent concern in responding, especially with bitter temperatures, darkness and Covid protocols,” he said. “But our professionals know what’s required and can usually complete a job in 6-8 hours despite all sorts of conditions. And they have to be prepared around the clock, seven days a week.”
Saluting the Water, Sewer, Streets Bureau professionals who, in an unusually intense winter, make massive water main breaks look like they never happened. Literally the difference between night and day in less than 24 hours. #TheOtherFirstRespondershttps://t.co/8YbKyxDQSgpic.twitter.com/QWElkH1g5b
— Arlington Department of Environmental Services (@ArlingtonDES) January 23, 2022
Per location data from the county’s online map of leaks and repairs, crews had to respond to the same address twice in a half-dozen recent cases. Golkin says that’s typical.
“Repairing a water main naturally generates stress on the line, which can lead to nearby follow-up breaks,” Golkin said. “So if a certain neighborhood has had a repair, then there’s an increased chance that another problem might soon develop on the same block.”
When multiple leaks happen concurrently, the bureau prioritizes repairs based on the number of residents impacted, he said.
“DES prioritizes by the impact of each break, so if there is a repair needed in a residential neighborhood, that would get first attention compared to a break next to office buildings closed for the night or a weekend,” Golkin said. “Sometimes a break doesn’t mean a loss of water service, possibly due to redundancy in the water main network. That can give the bureau flexibility in scheduling a repair.”
This week was yet another filled with plenty of news about snow, but unlike previous January weeks not a lot of actual snow.
Using its last traditional snow day allotment, Arlington Public Schools closed Thursday for what turned out to be a bust — a rainy, cold day. Lucky for students looking to enjoy the weather when school’s closed, this weekend should at least be sunny, albeit a little cold, in Arlington.
Now, here are the most-read Arlington articles of the past week.
A snow plow driving down Columbia Pike (staff photo by Matt Blitz)
The National Weather Service issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Thursday morning, saying it expects between up to 2 inches of snow.
The advisory is set for between 6 a.m. and 1 p.m. NWS forecasts rain and snow before noon, followed by a chance of snow between noon and 3 p.m. as temperatures fall to around 30 by 5 p.m.
The Capital Weather Gang says the timing of the expected snow could lead to a bad morning commute.
“As a strong cold front pushes south, rain will change to snow, which could be heavy for a time between about 7 and 10 a.m.,” according to the Capital Weather Gang. “It will probably too warm for the snow to stick at first. But, as temperatures fall, slick spots could develop, especially in our colder areas north and west of the Beltway.”
See the full advisory below.
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO 1 PM EST
THURSDAY…
* WHAT…Snow. Snow accumulations of up to two inches with locally
higher amounts around three inches possible.
* WHERE…The District of Columbia, portions of central, northern
and southern Maryland, and central and northern Virginia.
* WHEN…From 6 AM to 1 PM EST Thursday.
* IMPACTS…Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous
conditions will impact the morning commute.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Precipitation will start as rain and then
switch over to snow during the Thursday morning commute.
Instructions: 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.
Target Area:
Arlington, Falls Church, Alexandria
Fairfax
Prince William, Manassas, Manassas Park
Southern Fauquier
Spotsylvania
Stafford
A mild day today ahead of a cold front moving through tonight. Light snow accumulations are possible into Thu morning. Conditions turn colder and more blustery thereafter. Still monitoring the winter storm threat on Fri evening into Sat morning. #MDwx#VAwx#DCwx#WVwxpic.twitter.com/Lj85Ln61r9
Snow in Westover on Jan. 3, 2022 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Arlington — and much of the D.C. region — is now officially under a Winter Storm Watch.
The watch was issued just before 3 p.m. Forecasters are calling for up to 5 inches of accumulating snow, but 1-3 inches is most likely, according to the National Weather Service.
Gusty winds will accompany the storm and, paired with the snowfall, could fell tree branches and cause another bout of power outages.
From NWS:
URGENT – WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
251 PM EST Fri Jan 14 2022
…WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY MORNING…
* WHAT…Significant snow and wintry precipitation possible. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches are most likely, with up to 5 inches possible. Ice accumulations of up to one tenth of an inch are possible. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph.
* WHERE…The District of Columbia, portions of central and northern Maryland, and central and northern Virginia.
* WHEN…From Sunday afternoon through Monday morning.
* IMPACTS…Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the Monday morning commute.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Snow may fall at 1 to 3 inches per hour late Sunday afternoon and early Sunday evening, resulting in nearly impassable roads.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Monitor the latest forecasts for updates on this situation.
Ahead of the storm, which is expected to have more severe impacts west of the D.C. area, Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam today declared a state of emergency.
“We expect this storm to have a significant impact in many parts of Virginia,” Northam said in a statement. “Declaring a state of emergency now allows our emergency responders to prepare, and to move supplies and equipment where they expect to need them the most. This also gives Governor-elect Youngkin the ability to respond to any storm needs swiftly. I urge Virginians to take this storm seriously and make preparations now.”
Arlington County and VDOT crews, meanwhile, have been pre-treating roads in advance of the winter weather, which is expected to start as snow Saturday afternoon before transitioning to sleet, freezing rain and then plain rain.
We can't rule out power outages Sunday night, especially in our western areas due to 30-40 mph wind gusts + snow/ice on tree limbs. Up to 0.25" ice in some spots. Ice map from @NWS_BaltWashpic.twitter.com/gg9dv8HDg0
The NWS has issued a Winter Storm Watch for all counties along and WEST of I-95, including DC, Fairfax, Arlington, Montgomery and those West. This is for Snow and Ice accumulations. I will have my updated SNOW map at 4,5 & 6 today on News4! pic.twitter.com/oIX4PTKFt1
Looking down snow-covered trees along 11th St. N in Ballston on Tuesday (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
A snow plow along Washington Blvd. near Glebe Rd. on Monday (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Snow in Westover on Monday (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
It’s been tough sledding, so to speak, for Arlington snow crews this week.
With the help of some milder temperatures, crews have nearly completed their snow removal effort following Monday’s winter storm. But with another storm looming tonight, threatening another 2-4 inches of snow, there will not be time to rest.
“Arlington crews continue to clear the remnants of Monday’s storm ahead of this next event, moving in tonight,” said Peter Golkin, spokesman for the county’s Dept. of Environmental Services. “They’re clearing intersections and turn lanes while pre-treating bridges and other key spots with brine and salt.”
Officials today revealed more details about the challenges the county faced in dealing with a major snowstorm during a Covid wave and at the end of a holiday weekend.
“Just a few days out, forecasts did not anticipate Monday’s event and the first indication of a significant weather event was issued Sunday morning at 4:30 a.m.,” Golkin recounted. “Arlington crews worked through Sunday to load salt spreader V-boxes, attach plows and mobilize equipment for the response as most Arlington equipment is multi-purpose as part of year-round operations.”
Indeed, as of Saturday (New Year’s Day) morning, two days before the storm, forecasters were only calling for “relatively light precipitation” and limited accumulation, in part because Sunday was expected to be warm and the precipitation would start as rain.
“Roads were not pretreated because the incoming Monday system, as forecast, began with heavy rain, which washes away brine, making it useless,” Golkin noted
By Monday evening, after 6-10 inches of snow fell, the county acknowledged what many locals observed: streets were not getting cleared as quickly as in past storms. While Arlington and other D.C. area jurisdictions don’t have the snow removal firepower of more northern locales with more frequent significant snow events, the plowing was taking longer than usual.
The county blamed “COVID19-related staffing shortages.”
LOCATION:County Wide INCIDENT: County Snow Removal Update IMPACT: The County's snow removal is currently impacted by COVID19-related staffing shortages. Roads are being cleared as quickly and safely as possible. Thank you for your patience and understanding. View the Arlington s
“Our first Monday team was at approximately 50% of typical response, due to staffing shortages from the direct or collateral impact of COVID, plus the challenges of people returning from a scheduled holiday weekend,” Golkin said this morning. “Monday’s second shift starting at noon was further hampered when members who live far from Arlington got caught in traffic backups including at least eight stranded for more than 20 hours on I-95.”
“Our contractors for additional trucks had the same issues and were naturally in high demand across the region,” the spokesman added. “By Tuesday afternoon, we had mobilized above the 75% of County level for a typical big response and supplemented with contractor resources.”
Now with another storm looming, county and state officials are sounding a louder alarm — even with lower anticipated snowfall totals.
“With the National Weather Service calling for another significant round of winter weather making its way across Virginia Thursday night (Jan. 6) into Friday morning (Jan. 7), the Virginia State Police are encouraging Virginians to be weather aware… to plan ahead… and to avoid traveling during inclement conditions,” state police said today.
Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam has even declared a preemptive state of emergency.
The National Weather Service just issued a Winter Weather Advisory, saying 2-4 inches of accumulation is likely between Thursday night and Friday morning.
The snowfall could bring more travel disruptions and closures. It follows three days of school closures in Arlington after a winter storm dropped 6-10 inches of snow on Monday.
From NWS:
233 PM EST Wed Jan 5 2022
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THURSDAY TO 5 AM EST FRIDAY…
* WHAT…Snow. Total snow accumulations 2 to 4 inches. Isolated high amounts of around 5 inches are possible.
* WHERE…The District of Columbia, portions of northern and central Maryland, and northern Virginia.
* WHEN…From 9 PM Thursday to 5 AM EST Friday.
* IMPACTS…Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the Friday morning commute.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…The heaviest snow is expected between 10 PM and 2 AM when snowfall rates of 1 inch per hour are possible.
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.
Here we go again! Another SNOW event moving into our region Tomorrow night into Friday Morning. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the entire area. I am expecting 2-3" for most of us, maybe a little more, but this is NOT a huge storm, still impactful. See you at 4,5&6! pic.twitter.com/d34A7NSq78
Update at 3:15 p.m. — Both Arlington County and VDOT say snow crews are preparing for the storm.
“Throughout overnight hours, crews and about 2,200 trucks will be staged and ready to treat roads and plow snow where needed,” VDOT said Sunday afternoon. “Crews will begin to plow once two inches of snow have accumulated.”
— Arlington Department of Environmental Services (@ArlingtonDES) January 2, 2022
Update at 2:50 p.m. — The earlier Winter Storm Watch has been updated to a Winter Storm Warning. The forecast still calls for 3 or more inches of snow falling Monday morning.
233 PM EST Sun Jan 2 2022
…WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 AM TO 4 PM EST MONDAY…
* WHAT…Heavy snow. Total snow accumulations of 3 to 7 inches. Winds gusting as high as 35 mph.
* WHERE…The District of Columbia, portions of central Maryland and northern Virginia.
* WHEN…From 1 AM to 4 PM EST Monday.
* IMPACTS…Travel could be very difficult. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.
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.
Earlier: Arlington and the D.C. area could get the first significant snowfall of the season tomorrow.
Heavy snow with up to 3-6 inches of accumulation is possible Monday, starting late tonight, according to the National Weather Service, which issued a Winter Storm Watch for Arlington County and other parts of the region early this morning.
Arlington is just on the northern edge of the Winter Storm Watch, meaning that southern parts of the county may get more snow than northern parts.
More from NWS:
428 AM EST Sun Jan 2 2022
…WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MONDAY AFTERNOON…
* WHAT…Heavy snow possible. Total snow accumulations of 3 to 6 inches possible.
* WHERE…Portions of The District of Columbia, central and southern Maryland and central and northern Virginia.
* WHEN…From late tonight through Monday afternoon.
* IMPACTS…Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning commute.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
Monitor the latest forecasts for updates on this situation.
Blue Jay in the fall (Flickr pool photo by Michael Coffman)
Route 1 Project Now Mostly Funded — “Virginia is making a huge financial commitment to the transformation of U.S. Route 1 as it runs through Crystal City, fulfilling a key promise officials made to Amazon.com Inc. to lure the tech giant to Arlington. The Commonwealth Transportation Board, a panel that manages state transportation funding and policy, voted unanimously Wednesday to allocate $134.4 million to fund the highway’s overhaul through 2028. The project, designed to bring at least some portion of the newly renamed Richmond Highway down to grade and make it more friendly to pedestrians, has a total estimated price tag of roughly $180 million.” [Washington Business Journal]
FAA Says Proposed HQ2 ‘Helix’ Is Okay — “The Federal Aviation Administration has no issue with the height of Amazon.com Inc.’s proposed Helix, the towering conical structure that will be a major part of HQ2’s PenPlace phase, closing the book on questions raised by the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.” [Washington Business Journal]
Arlington Says It’s Ready for Winter — “Despite predictions for another below-average snowfall this winter, the County can’t stray from a solid-if-not-frozen annual strategy: Prepare for whatever nature may drop. Commuters can take comfort knowing a big County response of almost 50 trucks – plus additional contractors – can roll in case forecasters are wrong at any point in coming months.” [Arlington County]
Ceremony for Re-elected County Board Member — “The public is invited to join the Arlington County Board at the swearing-in of County Board Member Takis P. Karantonis on Tuesday, Dec. 14, 2021. The ceremony will begin at 4:30 p.m. and will be followed by a brief reception outside the Board Room, Room 307 in the Ellen M. Bozman Government Center.” [Arlington County]
New Term for Electoral Board Member — “The three-member Arlington Electoral Board will have continuity for the coming year, with Republican Scott McGeary on Dec. 6 reappointed to a three-year term. Arlington Circuit Court Chief Judge William Newman Jr. signed the order of appointment, which was not a surprise – even though the Arlington County Republican Committee was expected to submit three names for the court’s consideration, McGeary (who has served on the body, on and off, for nearly 30 years) was anticipated to receive the nod.” [Sun Gazette]
New ‘Wish Catalog’ for Local Nonprofits — “Looking for a way to add more charitable giving to the season of giving while supporting your neighbors in need? For the second year in a row, Arlington Community Foundation is excited to host the Nonprofit Wish Catalog featuring grant ideas of 26 local nonprofits with wishes of up to $5,000 each.” [Arlington Community Foundation]
It’s Thursday — After a few snow flurries yesterday, today will also be cold, with increasing clouds and a high near 44. Sunrise at 7:15 a.m. and sunset at 4:46 p.m. Tomorrow there is a slight chance of showers after 1 p.m., otherwise Friday will be partly sunny, with a high near 54. [Weather.gov]
Clarendon Popup Bar, located inside the former Clarendon Ballroom (Staff Photo by Jay Westcott)
The owners of the Lot is once again turning the former Clarendon Ballroom into a winter wonderland (courtesy photo)
The owners of the Lot is once again turning the former Clarendon Ballroom into a winter wonderland (courtesy photo)
The owners of the Lot is once again turning the former Clarendon Ballroom into a winter wonderland (courtesy photo)
The former Clarendon Ballroom is once again being transformed into a winter wonderland for the holiday season.
The ownership group behind the Lot, the nearby and popular outdoor beer garden, is putting together the seasonal pop-up. It will open on Friday at 8 p.m. and continue through January, a company spokesperson writes ARLnow in response to an inquiry.
“Guests can expect new holiday drinks, a totally winterized change in decor, and an awesome lineup of events in the space!,” writes the spokesperson.
Cocktails will include ones with festive names like the “Polar Express” (Grey goose, blueberry vodka, blueberry Red Bull with a “white shimmer”) and the christmas cookie-flavored “Ornament Shooters.”
“They’re also bringing back the popular “Jingle Juice Punch,” which is made with a secret recipe but includes White Claw seltzers,” notes the spokesperson.
There’s no cover and the pop-up bar will be open Friday and Saturday nights. This Friday’s “relaunch” party is set to feature DJ Vicious, according to the website.
This version will be pretty similar to last year’s winter wonderland, though it will actually be opened for the holiday season.
The 2020 version was reportedly delayed from opening due to “typical internal delays,” like equipment arriving on time. The County Board also didn’t approve the bar’s request for a live entertainment and dancing permit until mid-December. The food permit wasn’t approved until December 29.
“The winter wonderland theme received a lot of positive feedback last year! People loved the festive decorations, Christmas lights, and holiday spirit, and we’re excited to share this experience with our guests again,” Michael Bramson, co-owner of the pop-up bar, writes ARLnow. “The Winter Wonderland is quickly turning into one of our favorite holiday traditions.”
Since first popping up last year in the midst of the pandemic, Clarendon Pop-Up Bar has decked out the space at 3185 Wilson Blvd with a number of themes. Most recently, it traveled back time to the 1980s with hot pink and blue hues reminiscent of “Miami Vice.”
But the bar will be moving from the hot, sandy beaches of Miami to the cold, snowy landscape of the North Pole.
The long-time nightlife venue Clarendon Ballroom closed as its prior iteration nearly two years ago. In late December 2020, Monument Realty purchased the building at 3185 Wilson Blvd for nearly $7 million and signed a 21-month lease with the Lot’s owners to operate pop-up bars out of the space.
While there’s another nine months on that agreement, Monument Realty told Washington Business Journal that it was a possibility that the ownership group could take over the space permanently.
Another big difference compared from last year’s pop-up is that indoor capacity restrictions and mask requirements have been considerable loosened. There are no longer any capacity restrictions and masks are no longer required indoors, though they are encouraged.
