In what is being described as a “messy mix” of snow, sleet, and freezing rain, winter appears to have come early to Washington, D.C., causing commute delays and school cancelations across the nation’s capital.
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect and will be in place until at least Thursday evening as one to two inches are expected to fall today. The November snowfall average is 0.5 inches. The November snowfall record in the city is 11.5 inches, while averaging 14.5 inches of snow annually. The snowy weather will then head north and west of the city, according to WTOP. According to reports, Thursday’s weather is the first measurable snowfall in November since 1996.
“A lot of people didn’t think the snow would materialize this early in the year. It’s a little bit of a shock value,” Virginia Department of Transportation official Ellen Kamilakis said. “We ask people to slow down, to add in more time to their commutes, to not underestimate things. Don’t drive like it’s a fall day; drive like this is a winter day.”
The snowfall is part of a larger storm picking up strength in on the east, where the interior mid-Atlantic will reportedly be hit with the most ice and snow. “There is the potential for 6-12 inches of snow from western Maryland to northwestern Maine; however, sleet and freezing rain may cut down on accumulations,” said AccuWeather meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.”In some areas, it is possible that 1-2 inches of sleet falls on top of the snow.”
Below is a list of school delays and closures:
School systems in Baltimore, Howard, Carroll, Culpeper, Loudoun, Fairfax, Montgomery, Prince William, Rappahannock, Stafford, Spotsylvania, Washington and Fauquier counties as well as schools in Frederick County, Maryland, Frederick County, Virginia, are closed Thursday. Manassas Park City Schools and Manassas City Public Schools are also closed.
Schools in Fredericksburg City opened on a two-hour delay.
Afternoon Pre-K in Alexandria City Public Schools is canceled.
Federal agencies in the D.C. area are open, but employees have the option for unscheduled leave or unscheduled telework.
Photos and video of the early winter snowfall are making the rounds on social media:
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