VA, DC Weather: Bomb Cyclone On Track For Saturday: What To Know

VIRGINIA/DC — A "bomb cyclone" of heavy rain, strong wind gusts and snow showers is forecast for Virginia and Washington, D.C., on Saturday.

The amazing part of this potent storm is that it will all happen in a relatively short period of time, and the weather will change dramatically from heavy rain to snow, with a chance of 1 to 3 inches in the D.C. area. Temperatures will begin in the 40s early Saturday morning and plummet as the day progresses.

A bomb cyclone, or bombogenesis, is a rapidly strengthening storm that forms when a cold air mass collides with a warm air mass, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The strong cold front is forecast to reach the area around dawn Saturday. Rain, snow and sleet will change to all snow after 11 a.m., according to the National Weather Service. The snow could be heavy at times, with temperatures dropping below 30 degrees by 5 p.m.

The NWS has issued a winter weather advisory for areas north and west of D.C. from 6 a.m. Saturday to 3 a.m. Sunday. Roads could become icy late Saturday, as temperatures fall below freezing, causing wind chills in the teens.

The biggest concern for the D.C. area is likely the wind gusts, which could reach 50 mph starting around midday and continue into the afternoon. The strong winds could lead to trees falling and power outages.

The D.C. area may see anywhere from a coating to a few inches of snow, especially on grassy and elevated surfaces, according to The Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang.

Total snow accumulations of 3 to 5 inches are possible in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.

Overnight, guidance from the NWS shifted the storm track slightly to the east, with cold air arriving faster than originally expected in the D.C. area, NBC News meteorologist Bill Kairns said Friday morning. With this scenario, confidence is increasing for accumulating snow across most of the region Saturday morning into Saturday afternoon.

With power outages possible due to the strong winds, Dominion Energy suggests customers use the Dominion Energy app to report power outages and monitor for status updates. Customers can also call 866-366-4357 to report an outage or downed power line.

For people worried about how the storm will affect the cherry blossoms along the Tidal Basin, the Capital Weather Gang said they should be fine. The buds are not yet far enough advanced that the frigid weather on Saturday, along with the possibility of snow, will harm them.

Here's the NWS forecast for the close-in suburbs of D.C. for the next few days:

Friday night: Rain, mainly after 2 a.m. Low around 39. Southeast wind around 6 mph, becoming calm after midnight.

Saturday: Rain, snow, and sleet, becoming all snow after noon. The snow could be heavy at times. Temperature falling to around 30 by 5 p.m. Breezy, with a northwest wind 10 to 15 mph, increasing to 19 to 24 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 48 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New snow and sleet accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Saturday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 21. Blustery, with a west wind of 16 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 47 mph.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 44. West wind around 11 mph becoming southwest in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 24 mph.

Sunday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 32.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 60.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 67.