Rain, then look for bitterly cold conditions

December 22, 2022
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Sleet and freezing rain will continue to fall in the D.C. area Thursday, and heavier rain is expected later this evening ahead of a record Arctic cold front on Friday.

The cold could bring the D.C. region its coldest Christmas in 20 years.

The wintry conditions made parts of Interstate 66 icy north of Front Royal, Virginia, said Storm Team4 meteorologist Mike Stinneford. And many areas west of Interstate 95 have been below freezing Thursday morning.

The light precipitation this morning will change to all rain over the next several hours, with rain becoming heavy at times this afternoon and evening, then tapering off to a few showers overnight.

The wintry weather initially prompted schools in Frederick and Washington counties to close for the day.

A Flood Watch for the entire D.C. area is in effect from 11 a.m. Thursday until 1 a.m. Friday. Up to 2 inches of rain is expected and it will rain hard enough at times to cause high water in flood-prone areas and ponding on roadways.

The heavy rain will end Thursday night and temperatures will stay in the 40s overnight.

But come Friday, plan to pull out your long johns.

Storm Team4 meteorologist Chuck Bell said a “Siberian cold front” will arrive before noon Friday. He said to expect a brief period of rain ending as snow between 5 a.m. and 11 a.m., before temperatures nose-dive into the afternoon.

Besides the drop in temperatures, Bell said to expect ferocious winds from the west that will gust near 40 mph from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, pushing wind chills below zero from 4 p.m. onward.

Wind chills will drop below 10 degrees Friday afternoon and stay there until Sunday afternoon. Bell advises people and their pets to limit time outside while it is bitterly cold.

A Wind Chill Advisory for “portions of southeast Maryland and central, east central, eastern, north central, south central and southeast Virginia” has been issued for 7 p.m. Friday through 9 a.m. Saturday.

On the roads

While the D.C. and Baltimore areas will escape the worst of the storm that barreled through the U.S. this week, drivers should be prepared for slick roads.

Bell said its best to build some additional travel time into your schedule.

The Virginia Department of Transportation advised drivers to avoid travel on Thursday, primarily through the western regions of Virginia along the Interstate 81 corridor.

“Periods of heavy snow are expected along the northern sections of I-81 and the mountain passes, including Interstate 64 over Afton Mountain and RT. 33 between Stanardsville and Harrisonburg early Thursday,” VDOT said in a news release.

VDOT crews pretreated roadways and interstates Wednesday in anticipation of the weather event.

“Motorists, if traveling, should pack an emergency kit and blankets, and have mobile devices fully charged in the event of a breakdown or emergency,” VDOT said.

In Maryland, transportation department crews completed anti-icing operations in Allegany and Washington counties, which, as of 4 a.m. were under a winter storm warning. The National Weather Service also issued winter weather advisories for Garrett and Washington counties that began at 4 a.m.

“While we are expecting rain for much of the state, there is a potential for icy conditions in the higher mountain elevations,” Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration Administrator Tim Smith said in a statement. “So, we encourage folks with travel plans heading west to be extremely careful and, if possible, delay their trips a few hours.”

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said the state activated its emergency response operations in anticipation of the winter weather. He called for Marylanders to be prepared and adjust their plans as necessary.

MDOT SHA spokesperson Charlie Gischlar said elevated roadways like bridges, ramps and overpasses will be where motorists will find most slick spots, and crews will be out patrolling the roads today and tomorrow. He warned drivers of the very dangerous driving conditions when the roads are this icy.

“If you have something to do, go ahead and do it today,” Gischlar said. “We’re going to have what we call a ‘flash freeze’ in some areas; there’s going to be a lot of moisture associated with this storm. So anything that does not have a chance to dry out will freeze tomorrow. So we’re going to be cognizant of that especially on the bridges, ramps and overpasses and be doing our shifts, putting out the materials to make sure the roads don’t freeze up.”

D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said the District Snow Team plan to have 28 salt trucks on standby starting Friday morning in preparation for icy surfaces and light snow Friday morning.

Residents are encouraged to sign up for AlertDC updates and to check on vulnerable neighbors. Those living in D.C. can also receive updates on road conditions on AlertDC’s Twitter page.

Record-setting storm approaching?

As the D.C. region prepares to enter the ice box before the holiday weekend, the same cold blast is already setting records in the west. Could D.C. be next to dig into the record books?

The cold front rocketed through the Rockies and Front Range Wednesday with such a drastic drop in temperatures that records are being set. The National Weather Service in Boulder, Colorado, indicated that Denver International Airport dropped from 42 degrees to 5 degrees (37-degree drop) in one hour when the front came through earlier Thursday.

If the data is confirmed, it would be the largest one-hour temperature drop in history for the D.C. area. The previous record is a drop from 41 to 6 degrees (35-degree temperature drop) in one hour during the afternoon of Jan. 27, 2007.

That same front is poised to sweep to the East Coast later this week. Current trends indicate the cold front won’t lose any momentum as it pushes across the D.C. region Friday morning.

What will it take for Washington to set a record for largest temperature drop? The current record for fastest temperature drop in 24 hours is a loss of 47 degrees from Dec. 22 at 6:51 a.m. to 24 hours later on Dec. 23. The temperature dropped from 67 to 20 degrees in that time span.

Current projections show temperatures late Thursday will be in the mid-50s with the cold front expected to arrive between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. Friday morning and drop to the lower ‘teens by late Friday evening. Theoretically, the temperature could drop 43 degrees in just 24 hours from late Thursday to late Friday.

This would tie for the fifth largest drop in temperatures over a 24-hour period for Reagan National Airport. The other two times when the temperature dropped 43 degrees in 24 hours include Jan. 19-20, 1996 and Feb. 7-8, 1951.

A list of the top 10 largest temperature drops in a 24-hour time span for Reagan National Airport. (Courtesy IEM)

The best way to dress if you have to go outside during the upcoming Arctic blast is with multiple layers because that traps body heat far more efficiently than one thick layer.

Forecast

THURSDAY: Rain, freezing rain, sleet and snow changing to all rain by mid- to late morning. Mainly rain over the immediate metro area and eastern suburbs.

THURSDAY AFTERNOON: Rain, heavy at times. Highs 45 to 50.

THURSDAY NIGHT: Moderate rain will taper off to a few showers. Lows in the 40s.

FRIDAY: Rain changing to snow and then ending. Turning windy and sharply colder. A morning high in the 40s, with temperatures falling into the teens by evening.

CHRISTMAS EVE SATURDAY: Partly cloudy, windy and cold. Highs in the low to mid 20s.

CHRISTMAS SUNDAY: Mostly sunny. Breezy, bitter cold. Highs in the mid 20s to low 30s.

Current conditions

WTOP’s Alejandro Alvarez, Jose Umana, Colleen Kelleher and Chad Merrill contributed to this report.

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