Rain-Snow Mix In Forecast As Cold Blast Heads For VA

VIRGINIA — A storm could bring snow to higher elevations in Virginia, along with a cold blast and gusty winds to the rest of the state during a frigid first week of December, forecasters say. Northern Virginia could see two chances for a rain-snow mix this week.

• See Latest Forecast: Snow Chances Increase This Week In NoVA: Latest Timing, Forecast

The last month of the year is kicking off with below seasonal temperatures, while a storm system from the Great Lakes is poised to hit the region Wednesday night.

"The work week ahead will bring continued below normal temperatures across the region," the National Weather Service office for the Baltimore-DC region said. "Most notably, a strong cold front tracks through early Thursday bringing snow showers to the Alleghenies and very gusty winds to the area."

Highs in Northern Virginia will be in the 40s for most of the state this week, with overnight lows in the mid- to low 20s. Friday could be the coldest day of the week with highs around 38 degrees.

Wednesday will be dry during the day, according to the National Weather Service. The storm coming will be quick-moving and light in moisture, so precipitation should be light, the National Weather Service said.

As the cold front approaches, rain or a snow shower are possible early Thursday morning when temperatures drop into the 30s, according to The Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang. Clouds increase Saturday night with a slight chance of rain or snow showers, with lows in the 30s.

AccuWeather forecasters said that there could be pockets of snow reaching to the Atlantic coast depending on how cold the air is.

"The amount and precise locations of that snow will depend on the track and intensity of the moisture-starved storm," AccuWeather said.

However, if there any snow accumulations, they will be light, forecasters predict.

Meteorologists are tracking the possibility of a stronger storm during the second week of the month. While it is far out enough that specifics are not available, such a track typically allows the storm to capture much more moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic, which can potentially then unload heavier precipitation, AccuWeather said.

What that could mean for Northern Virginia and DC as the storm nears the coast range from it growing into a nor'easter with significant travel disruptions to a weaker storm that heads out to sea with few travel problems.

Here's the latest Virginia forecast from the National Weather Service:

Monday Afternoon: Mostly sunny, with a high near 40. Northwest wind around 10 mph.

Monday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 27. Northwest wind around 8 mph.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 41. Northwest wind 9 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 25. West wind 3 to 8 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 43. Light southwest wind becoming south 6 to 11 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph.

Wednesday Night: A slight chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 37. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 46.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 27.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 38.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 24.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 41.

Saturday Night: A chance of rain and snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45.