Winter Storm to Hit DC, Virginia On Sunday With Snow, Mixed Precipitation

VIRGINIA/DC — The National Weather Service says confidence is increasing that D.C. and Northern Virginia will be affected by a winter storm from Sunday afternoon into early Monday morning, with the biggest impacts west of the Interstate 95 corridor.

The heaviest snow from the storm is expected along and west of the Interstate 81 corridor in Virginia. The forecast remains uncertain along and east of the I-95 corridor, according to the NWS.

In the D.C. area, Loudoun and Fauquier counties could see the most snowfall from the storm.

The Washington Post’s Capital Weather Gang forecasts that snow is expected to spread over the region Sunday afternoon and early evening. Some accumulation in D.C. and the inner suburbs is expected, causing roads to become slick.

“By Sunday night, snow may change to ice and then rain as temperatures remain steady or slowly rise a bit,” the Capital Weather Gang said.

According to AccuWeather.com, enough cold air will to be in place for an all or mostly snow event along the I-81 corridor from Virginia into the Northeast states. Snow, ice and rain are likely to be the primary forms of precipitation in the D.C. area, the weather forecasting company said.

In D.C. and the close-in, suburbs snowfall totals could measure 1 to 3 inches Sunday night into early Monday morning, according to AccuWeather.

In parts of Fairfax County and northwestern Prince William County, along with all of Loudoun County, current forecasts show snow totals could reach 3 to 6 inches Sunday night and early Monday morning.

The Fredericksburg area, parts of which were hit by up to a foot of snow by the Jan. 3 storm, could see between 2 and 4 inches of snow, according to AccuWeather.

Chuck Bell, meteorologist with NBC4, said the storm will likely not be an all-snow event for the D.C. area. In the immediate D.C. area, residents should expect about 2 inches of snow, Bell said.

Leading up to the storm Sunday night, temperatures are expected in the 40s on Thursday and Friday for most of the D.C. area, with little chance of precipitation.

Temperatures are expected to drop into the teens Friday night, with highs only in the mid-20s on Saturday.

For Monday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, some rain or snow showers could remain in the D.C. area early before gradual clearing begins. As a federal holiday, commuter traffic is not expected to be bad on Monday.

High temperatures on Monday will probably be in the low 40s, according to the Capital Weather Gang.

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

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45. North wind 11 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 29 mph.

Friday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 18. North wind 11 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 27. North wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

Saturday night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 16.

Sunday: Snow likely after 1 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 38.

Sunday night: Rain, snow, and freezing rain before 1 a.m., then rain and snow likely. Low around 28.

Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 41.

Monday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 25.

Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 37.