Winter Storm Approaches NoVA: Messy Mix Of Snow, Rain In Forecast

VIRGINIA — As the coming winter storm draws nearer to Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., forecasters are getting a better idea of potential impacts and timing of the storm.

The National Weather Service is calling for a mixture of rain and snow across Northern Virginia, with ice possible in the western areas as precipitation begins Saturday.

The storm could bring the first snowfall of 1 inch or more to the immediate D.C. area in almost two years. It's been 714 days since D.C. received 1 inch of snow as of Dec. 31, according to AccuWeather, as the last measurable snowfall was on Jan. 16, 2022

"After a relatively mild December for parts of the Northeast, this weekend's storm may be a sharp snap back to reality for some, as the heart of winter is quickly approaching," AccuWeather said Thursday. "This weekend, millions across the Northeast may experience their first winter storm featuring snowfall amounts greater than 1 inch since early 2022."

When the storm front first arrives, snow will fall moderately, with light accumulations possible inside the Beltway.

"Most places should flip to sleet and then rain as the afternoon wears on," The Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang said Thursday. "The changeover to sleet and rain will happen first in eastern parts of the region before progressing to the northwest."

Inside the Beltway, the snow will be followed by a mix of rain and snow, and then rain the rest of the day Saturday and overnight into Sunday morning.

In the western suburbs, snowfall is expected to total between 2 and 6 inches west of Route 15 in Virginia, with lower snowfall totals east of the Route 15 corridor. Ice accumulations are possible across Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, according to the NWS.

"Wintry weather expected across much of the region Saturday-Saturday night," the NWS said. "The greatest impacts from snow and ice appear to be in areas along and west of the Blue Ridge, with moderate to heavy rain reducing totals further east."

NBC4 meteorologists said areas north and west of Dulles Airport and the Interstate 81 corridor in Virginia will start out and stay as mostly snow on Saturday. Several inches of very wet snow appear likely, with perhaps as much as 3 to 6 inches along and west of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Later Saturday night, rains will gradually end, possibly switching back to snow in the region's colder areas before the storm moves out, according to the Capital Weather Gang.

The next chance of precipitation is on Tuesday, when rain is expected to move into the area, with highs in the 50s.

Here is a look at the forecast for Northern Virginia through the weekend from the National Weather Service:

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45. Northwest wind 6 to 11 mph, increasing to 12 to 17 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 24 mph.

Thursday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 25. Northwest wind 5 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 42. Northwest wind around 5 mph becoming light and variable.

Friday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. Light south wind.

Saturday: A chance of snow before 10am, then snow likely, possibly mixed with rain between 10am and 1 p.m., then rain after 1pm. High near 40. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph becoming east in the afternoon.

Saturday night: Rain, mainly before 1 a.m. Low around 33.

Sunday: Partly sunny, with a high near 44.

Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 32.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45.