Flood Watch Issued For VA Followed By Wind Chill Advisory On Heels Of Winter Storm

VIRGINIA — As rain spreads across Northern Virginia from the huge winter storm spreading through the region, residents can expect occasional downpours by late Thursday morning and into the afternoon and evening.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for Northern Virginia and the entire D.C. area, starting at 11 a.m. and lasting through late into Thursday night. The rainfall is expected to total of 1 to 2 inches, and it will be raining hard enough at times to cause high water in flood-prone areas and ponding on roadways.

A winter weather advisory has been issued for western areas of Virginia. The greatest chance for a few inches of snow will be along the Interstate 81 corridor Thursday morning. The snow will change to rain this afternoon, causing slippery and slushy conditions throughout the day, NBC4 reported.

The NWS also issued a wind chill advisory from 7 p.m. on Friday to 9 a.m. on Saturday for portions of Virginia. The wind chills could result in frost bite and lead to hypothermia if precautions are not taken, the NWS said.

On Friday, as temperatures begin the day well above freezing, an Arctic front will burst into the area during the late morning and early afternoon.

"Along the front, a band of heavy showers is likely and could flip the rain to snow for a very short time," the Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang said Thursday morning. "Accumulation is unlikely as west winds plow through gusting to 40 mph bringing in much drier air and clearing skies."

The D.C. metro area will see temperatures near 50 degrees at midnight Thursday and then drop into the 40s by 7 a.m. on Friday, and dip below freezing by 10 a.m. and drop below 20 by 2 p.m., according to NBC4. The rapid temperature drop could cause icy patches to form late Friday morning and Friday afternoon.

Christmas weekend will be very cold, with highs in the 20s and lows in the teens and single digits on both Saturday and Sunday, according to forecasts.

"If you have not already, it's time to bring the hoses inside and drain your outside spigots, WUSA9 said.

Here is the National Weather Service's D.C. area weather forecast for the next few days.

Thursday: Rain. High near 48. Northeast wind around 9 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Thursday night: Rain before 1 a.m., then rain likely after 4 a.m. Low around 35. East wind 7 to 13 mph becoming south after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 26 mph. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Friday: Rain likely before 10 a.m., then a chance of snow between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a temperature falling to around 14 degrees by 5 p.m. Wind chill values as low as -4. Breezy, with a west wind 16 to 23 mph, with gusts as high as 40 mph. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Friday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 10. Wind chill values as low as -5. Breezy, with a west wind 14 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 22. West wind 13 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

Saturday night: Clear, with a low around 15.

Christmas Day: Sunny, with a high near 27.