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The National Weather Service has issued winter upwind advisories for overmuch of the Washington and Baltimore portion arsenic freezing rainfall could make slick walkways and untreated roads during the archetypal fractional of Thursday.
As is often the cases with wintry upwind successful the region, locations westbound of the District volition spot a longer duration and greater magnitude of frozen precipitation due to the fact that of colder temperatures. As such, the imaginable for slippery roads and schoolhouse closings and delays volition summation arsenic you caput westbound of Interstate 95.
In the contiguous Washington and Baltimore country (within astir a one-county radius), the winter upwind advisory lasts from 1 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, with the imaginable for icy spots during the greeting commute. Conditions should gradually amended arsenic the greeting wears on.
Southern Maryland and areas from Fredericksburg southbound are not included successful an advisory due to the fact that temperatures should mostly stay conscionable supra freezing there.
In our acold occidental areas (Frederick, Carroll and occidental Loudoun counties), wherever acold aerial volition linger longest, the wintertime upwind advisory extends until 4 p.m.
Precipitation — astir apt successful the signifier of sleet, freezing rainfall and plain rainfall — volition dispersed implicit the portion during the predawn hours. Temperatures volition driblet to close astir freezing arsenic the precipitation begins successful astir of the region. Because of above-freezing temperatures up of this storm, the crystal volition not accumulate connected each surfaces. But slick spots could inactive develop, particularly connected untreated paved surfaces and sidewalks, portion a precise airy glaze of crystal could overgarment histrion limbs.
If possible, it volition beryllium champion to debar question aboriginal Thursday and usage caution if you indispensable beryllium out. Sidewalks that look bedewed could beryllium deceptively icy and immoderate icy patches could make connected roads, particularly bridges, ramps and overpasses.
As Thursday wears on, temperatures should emergence supra freezing successful astir areas from southeast to northwest. Still, a driving, dense rainfall is anticipated aft immoderate frozen precipitation, with amounts of 1.5 to 2.5 inches. All successful all, it volition beryllium a bully time to enactment from home, if possible.
Toward the mountains, wherever an crystal tempest informing is successful effect, conditions volition beryllium substantially worse. At slightest 0.25 to 0.5 inches of crystal could overgarment histrion limbs and powerfulness lines and physique up connected roads on the Interstate 81 corridor (including Martinsburg, Winchester and Luray) and westward.
“Power outages and histrion harm are apt owed to ice,” the Weather Service cautions. “Travel could beryllium astir impossible. Hazardous conditions volition apt interaction the greeting and evening commutes connected Thursday.”
Shenandoah National Park announced that Skyline Drive volition adjacent astatine 4:30 p.m. Wednesday successful anticipation of the icy weather.
Here’s an approximate clip framework of however the tempest volition play out. In the provided somesthesia ranges, the coldest readings are for areas farthest northbound and westbound of the District and mildest to the southeast, wrong a 2 region radius.
1 to 5 a.m. Thursday — Sleet, rainfall and freezing rainfall make from southwest to northeast. A fewer slick spots possible. Temperatures: 30 to 35.
5 to 9 a.m. — Freezing rain, but mostly rainfall southbound and eastbound of the District. Some slick spots possible. Temperatures: 30 to 34.
9 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Freezing rainfall changes to rain, dense astatine times, southeast to northwest. Freezing rainfall could linger successful colder pockets acold west. Slick spots crook bedewed but acold west. Temperatures rising to 34 to 40.
1 to 5 p.m. — Rain, dense astatine times. Pockets of freezing rainfall alteration to plain rainfall acold west. Temperatures rising to 35 to 45.
5 to 9 p.m. — Rain decreases southbound to north. Temperatures: 35 to 45.
9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday — Rain ends from southbound to north. Temperatures: 35 to 45.
Uncertainties successful the forecast
Temperatures contiguous the biggest uncertainty successful this forecast. Sometimes, acold aerial is hard to dislodge and hangs astir longer than anticipated. Thus, it’s important to cheque temperatures earlier heading retired Thursday greeting to beryllium definite they’ve surpassed freezing if you’re acrophobic astir icy spots.
Little oregon nary iciness whitethorn make successful immoderate areas nether an advisory due to the fact that of above-freezing crushed temperatures up of the storm. In these areas, the rainfall whitethorn conscionable tally disconnected alternatively than crystal implicit surfaces. Normally milder locations specified arsenic downtown Washington and adjacent the Potomac and Chesapeake Bay mostly person the lowest chances of iciness.
On Capital Weather Gang’s Winter Storm Impact Scale, this rates arsenic Category 1 “nuisance” tempest for areas successful the purple portion connected the representation supra and Category 2 “disruptive” tempest successful the maroon zone. In the bluish zone, the tempest doesn’t gain a standing arsenic mostly rainfall is expected.
Temperatures some up of and during the tempest don’t enactment a higher class standing connected our 1 to 5 scale. The crushed won’t beryllium acold capable for surfaces to wholly frost implicit and effect successful wide hazardous conditions. But successful the purple and particularly maroon zones, patchy iciness is simply a bully bet.
School closing and delays are astir probable Thursday, chiefly westbound of I-95, successful the purple and maroon zones. See our schoolhouse projections below:
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