Saturday, December 15, 2007
Reality Check: A Rain Event for DC Metro Area
Some icing well N&W
Jason Samenow @ 11:15 PM
*Winter Weather Advisory in Effect this evening through Sunday morning for DC and points north and west*
*High Wind Watch in Effect Sunday afternoon through Monday Morning.*
11:15pm: Steadier precipitation has moved into the region, and the associated cooling has allowed temperatures to drop a couple degrees in many locations. Temperatures are generally in the mid 30s inside the beltway and the Winter Weather Advisory has been canceled south and east of town. The freezing line is right about where the models have been simulating it-- from eastern Loudoun to northwest Montgomery Co. A few spots as close in as north Bethesda, Rockville and in western Fairfax County are reporting temperatures near freezing as well.
Temperatures should remain steady for the next several hours. So if you're getting rain now, it should stay rain -- and it may be heavy. Likewise, if you're getting ice, expect icing to continue with possible glazing on some surfaces (trees, street lights, handrails, etc). Roads should generally remain just wet although a few slick spots could form on bridges, ramps and overpasses where temperatures are subfreezing. Between 2-4am, even areas getting ice now will probably go over to rain -- except out towards I-81 and the Blue Ridge where serious icing could occur.
9pm: Mainly light rain has been falling in the DC area with temperatures in the mid to upper 30s. A few flakes of snow and pellets of sleet have been mixed in with the initial bands of light precipitation. Further west towards into Loudoun Co and towards I-81, temperatures are colder (around freezing plus or minus a couple degrees) and steadier precipitation has been falling -- mainly in the form of sleet and freezing rain -- in spots like Leesburg, Harrisonburg and as far south as Charlottesville.
Over the next couple of hours, steadier precipitation -- mainly in the form of rain -- should move into the metro area. Temperatures may drop a couple degrees (due to evaporative cooling), but roads should remain just wet as temperatures will stay above freezing except well north and west of DC (towards upper Montgomery Co., Frederick Co and western Loudoun Co.) and out towards the Blue Ridge (where some significant icing could occur). The heaviest precipitation should between 11pm and 4am in the metro area.
For CapitalWeather.com's full assessment of this storm and forecast timeline, scroll down one post. Feel free to comment and report on conditions where you happen to be.
*High Wind Watch in Effect Sunday afternoon through Monday Morning.*
11:15pm: Steadier precipitation has moved into the region, and the associated cooling has allowed temperatures to drop a couple degrees in many locations. Temperatures are generally in the mid 30s inside the beltway and the Winter Weather Advisory has been canceled south and east of town. The freezing line is right about where the models have been simulating it-- from eastern Loudoun to northwest Montgomery Co. A few spots as close in as north Bethesda, Rockville and in western Fairfax County are reporting temperatures near freezing as well.
Temperatures should remain steady for the next several hours. So if you're getting rain now, it should stay rain -- and it may be heavy. Likewise, if you're getting ice, expect icing to continue with possible glazing on some surfaces (trees, street lights, handrails, etc). Roads should generally remain just wet although a few slick spots could form on bridges, ramps and overpasses where temperatures are subfreezing. Between 2-4am, even areas getting ice now will probably go over to rain -- except out towards I-81 and the Blue Ridge where serious icing could occur.
9pm: Mainly light rain has been falling in the DC area with temperatures in the mid to upper 30s. A few flakes of snow and pellets of sleet have been mixed in with the initial bands of light precipitation. Further west towards into Loudoun Co and towards I-81, temperatures are colder (around freezing plus or minus a couple degrees) and steadier precipitation has been falling -- mainly in the form of sleet and freezing rain -- in spots like Leesburg, Harrisonburg and as far south as Charlottesville.
Over the next couple of hours, steadier precipitation -- mainly in the form of rain -- should move into the metro area. Temperatures may drop a couple degrees (due to evaporative cooling), but roads should remain just wet as temperatures will stay above freezing except well north and west of DC (towards upper Montgomery Co., Frederick Co and western Loudoun Co.) and out towards the Blue Ridge (where some significant icing could occur). The heaviest precipitation should between 11pm and 4am in the metro area.
For CapitalWeather.com's full assessment of this storm and forecast timeline, scroll down one post. Feel free to comment and report on conditions where you happen to be.
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