Archive: Winter Storms
The Super-Predictable Superstorm of 1993
* Spring Takes a Sabbatical: Full Forecast | Dueling Climate Meetings * Infrared satellite image of the March 1993 "Storm of the Century." Courtesy NOAA. Sixteen years ago this week, nearly the entire eastern third of the nation was ravaged...
By Steve Tracton | March 12, 2009; 11:00 AM ET | Comments (14)
Snowstorm Comments: Best of...
Record number of comments received * Warming Up: Full Forecast | Weather Checker Grades Snow Forecast * Over the three-day period 2/28-3/2, Capital Weather Gang received an unprecedented 1,895 reader comments. The comments reflected a roller coaster of emotions, especially...
By Ann Posegate | March 4, 2009; 12:30 PM ET | Comments (32)
Snow Picks Back Up, Windy...
Will we or won't we get close to forecast totals? * Winter Storm Warning through 2 p.m. Monday * * CWG on: Twitter & Facebook | Weather Wall | SnowCam | Snow Polls * 4:15 a.m. update: Snow will continue...
By Dan Stillman | March 2, 2009; 04:15 AM ET | Comments (41)
Here Comes the Snow: What You Need to Know
4-8" expected in metro area through Monday morning * Winter Storm Warning 2 p.m. today through 2 p.m. Monday * * Accumulation Map/Timeline, FAQs, SchoolCast & More * * CWG on: Twitter & Facebook | Weather Wall | SnowCam |...
By Dan Stillman | March 1, 2009; 02:45 PM ET | Comments (96)
Models Knew Monster Storm Was No Certainty
Despite hype, 'Groundhogzilla' was never close to sure bet * Weekend Warm-Up: Full Forecast | When Ants Come Marching In * In his recent post Andrew Freedman justifiably criticizes the hyping last week and into the weekend by AccuWeather, a...
By Steve Tracton | February 6, 2009; 11:00 AM ET | Comments (6)
Backlash Hits AccuWeather After Lackluster Storm
* Cold for Now, Warm-up for the Weekend: Full Forecast * One of the strongest winter storms in recent memory lashed the east coast yesterday with strong winds, heavy rain, and paralyzing snow. Did you miss it? I suppose you...
By Andrew Freedman | February 4, 2009; 10:45 AM ET | Comments (42)
Forecast: Struggling Toward 32°, Refreeze Tonight
Many side roads and sidewalks remain slippery * Deicer Dilemma: How to Choose and How to Use | Driving Tips * Winter Storm Warning Extended Until 6 p.m. OUR LATEST FORECAST Hurray! It's another day off school for most of...
By Dan Stillman | January 28, 2009; 11:30 AM ET | Comments (85)
Deicer Dilemma: How to Choose and How to Use
Wx and the City * Our Latest Forecast: Showers Then Overnight Refreeze * An icy walkway. By David Stonner. Courtesy FEMA. Many Washington-area residents have been applying deicing products over sidewalks and driveways last night and this morning. This is...
By Ann Posegate | January 28, 2009; 04:00 AM ET | Comments (20)
Winter Weather Driving Tips
* Latest Forecast Update * A car drives through snowy conditions in Glover Park this morning. By Capital Weather Gang photographer Ian Livingston. Already, D.C.'s first winter storm has caused traffic backups and one fatal accident in the metro area....
By Ann Posegate | January 27, 2009; 09:00 PM ET | Comments (11)
Forecast: Some Shovelable Snow, Then Ice & Rain
Winter Storm Warning through 12 p.m. tomorrow for Loudoun and Montgomery counties and N & W Winter Weather Advisory through 12 p.m. tomorrow for the rest of the metro area So far, this has been the winter of the snow...
By Capital Weather Gang | January 27, 2009; 09:00 AM ET | Comments (26)
PM Update: Tues-Wed Storm Still on Track
Light snow accumulations Tuesday; Ice Tuesday night Winter Weather Advisory 4 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday Winter Storm Watch Tuesday Evening through Wednesday Afternoon * StormCast: | Before 10 PM: SchoolCast * Cloudy skies, cold temperatures and occasional morning snow...
By Ian Livingston | January 26, 2009; 05:30 PM ET | Comments (25)
Winter Storm Watch Issued for Metro Area
* Our Full Forecast | Snow Lover's Crystal Ball: Storm Details * The National Weather Service Office in Sterling has issued a Winter Storm Watch for MOST of the capital region. The watch covers the District and points north and...
By Jamie Jones | January 26, 2009; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (1)
Snow in October?
It's happened before, and although the odds are long, there's no reason it couldn't happen again. Let's rewind the video tape... It's Oct. 10, 1979. A cold rain the night before, which postponed the 1979 World Series opener at...
By Steve Tracton | October 10, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Comments (6)
Salt Shortage: A Real Reason to Freak Out?
Snow falls in downtown D.C. on Jan. 17, 2008. By Capital Weather Gang photographer Ian Livingston. Washingtonians tend to go a bit cuckoo when presented with even a small amount of snow or ice. But is a reported salt shortage...
By Dan Stillman | September 26, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Comments (11)
Avoiding the Hype Trap
In an interview in Parade magazine, National Weather Service (NWS) Director Dr. Jack Hayes was asked "Is there too much hype in weather forecasting?" His response: I think meteorologists are sensitive to overhyping the weather and creating a lack of...
By Jason Samenow | February 26, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Comments (0)
Forecast: A Bit of Snow, Then an Icy Mess
*Winter Storm Warning in effect until 10pm Friday night* Snow has already moved into the Maryland suburbs north and west of the beltway. It is these areas that will likely receive enough snow to shovel by morning. In the immediate...
By Capital Weather Gang | February 21, 2008; 11:00 PM ET | Comments (0)
Update: Snow Tonight, Freezing Rain Friday
**Winter Storm Watch Thursday evening through Friday night** A one-two punch is taking shape for the metro area tonight through early Saturday. Tonight, as you go to bed, light snow is likely to develop, probably between 9 p.m. and 1...
By Camden Walker | February 21, 2008; 11:20 AM ET | Comments (0)
Lessons Learned: Road Crews Prepped and Ready?
On my drive around the area this morning, including the Beltway and I-66, I saw numerous sand and salt trucks prepped and ready to go -- around overpasses, on ramps, and other road surfaces in Northern Virginia. Heck, the Virginia...
By Jamie Jones | February 20, 2008; 03:00 PM ET | Comments (3)
Update: Light Snowfall Still On Track
Another storm could bring late-week wintry mix **Snow Advisory in effect for metro area from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. today** Snow is on schedule to move into the DC area from west to east during the next few hours,...
By Matt Ross | February 20, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Comments (61)
Snow Lovers: Double Pleasure or Twice the Pain?
We continue to closely track two potential winter weather events this week. The first event, tomorrow, should consist of mostly snow but probably not enough to shovel. The second event (or series of events), Thursday night through Saturday, has the...
By Jason Samenow | February 19, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Comments (39)
Recap: A Fair Forecast, With Flaws
By A. Camden Walker and Dan Stillman Capital Weather Gang meteorologist A. Camden Walker captures Tuesday evening's deserted, ice-coated Logan Circle. Sometimes Mother Nature has an uncanny sense of timing, whether it's severe storms on the Fourth of July, a...
By Capital Weather Gang | February 15, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Comments (21)
Super Soaker: Record Rain Recap
This morning's showers, while generally minimal across the metro area (a couple hundredths of an inch), helped add to a nice surplus for February built up from Friday's record-setting rainfall. The regional 24-hour precipitation map (popup image) ending 7...
By Steve Scolnik | February 4, 2008; 07:00 PM ET | Comments (5)
Possible Ice, Then Buckets of Rain
We are monitoring the potential for some sleet or freezing rain accumulation north and west of the Beltway late Thursday night into early Friday morning, which could produce some hazardous conditions (see Josh's full forecast). But the majority of the...
By Camden Walker | January 31, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Comments (0)
International House of Snowflakes
Wild Winter Weather Hits China, Israel Some statistics this morning from site visitor Augusta Jim would indicate that the very long-term snow trend is not negative, but as Matt pointed out, La Niña may be limiting our flaky fortunes through...
By Steve Scolnik | January 30, 2008; 07:00 PM ET | Comments (0)
Another Slim Snow Chance on Thursday
Measurable snow a long shot Next Chance of Accumulating Snow: Thursday Probability: 35% Potential Impact: As with most of the snow threats this winter season, odds favor less snow rather than more....
By Jason Samenow | January 23, 2008; 05:30 AM ET | Comments (11)
Weekend Storm Trending Away
Still bears watching Next Chance of Accumulating Snow: Saturday PM - Sunday AM Probability: 35% Potential Impact: The good news is you may not need that shovel again this weekend. That's not-so-good news for those craving more of the white...
By Dan Stillman | January 18, 2008; 10:00 AM ET | Comments (23)
Photography: Downtown DC in Heavy Snow
As the snow poured down just before the lunch hour I grabbed my camera and headed out into the elements to see what the situation was on the ground. Upon exiting the building where I work downtown, I was greeted...
By Ian Livingston | January 17, 2008; 02:20 PM ET | Comments (3)
Alert: Here Comes the Snow
Latest MidAtlantic radar loop, courtesy National Weather Service. Refresh page to update, or click here to expand. Snow is currently spreading over the region as an area of low pressure destined to bring many their first accumulating snow of...
By Ian Livingston | January 17, 2008; 10:00 AM ET | Comments (219)
The Return of Snow
Accumulating snow likely today; Maybe more Saturday Winter weather advisory in effect for the metro area, winter storm warning in Loudoun, Fauquier and Frederick counties. Here we go. After more than a month since our last accumulating snowfall, chances are...
By Josh Larson | January 17, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (98)
Small Storm May Cause Small Problems
Snow eventually changing to rain ... but when? Next Chance of Accumulating Snow: Thursday Probability: 50% Potential Impact: First things first: This does not appear to be a big storm, or that it could turn into a big storm. We're...
By Matt Ross | January 16, 2008; 12:10 PM ET | Comments (23)
A Slight Shot at Snow Late This Week
Unclear if enough cold air will be in place. Next Chance of Accumulating Snow: Thursday Probability: 30% Potential Impact: Commentary: If you are unhappy with the fact that yesterday's snow passed the Washington, DC area by while dumping quite a...
By Josh Larson | January 14, 2008; 10:30 AM ET | Comments (0)
Alert: Sunday PM Storm Mainly Rain
The details for tomorrow's storm are finally crystallizing, but snow crystals aren't a big part of the equation, unless you happen to be a mile high in the atmosphere. Down at ground level, temperatures are going to be too warm...
By Jason Samenow | January 12, 2008; 11:15 PM ET | Comments (0)
Best Snow Chance Since Early December
But still not great; Uncertainty higher than normal Next Chance of Accumulating Snow: Sunday-Monday Probability: 55% Potential Impact: Commentary: A storm will organize off the coast of the Carolinas Sunday morning and then intensify as it merges with another storm...
By Jason Samenow | January 12, 2008; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (19)
Meet a Major Meteorologist
Attention winter weather weenies It never rains, but it pours. The DC region, home to more meteorologists per acre than probably anywhere else in the world, is host to two major meteorological meetings on the same night next week. The...
By Steve Scolnik | January 9, 2008; 07:46 PM ET | Comments (10)
Winter Starts Slow, Will it Finish Strong?
After yesterday's record-breaking warmth and a rather tame start to winter, one naturally wonders, is winter cold and snow going to be a no-show? Our updated, long-term winter outlook calls for January to cool down after a hot start, a...
By Matt Ross | January 9, 2008; 12:05 PM ET | Comments (0)
Where's All the Snow?
Outside of the December 5 "clipper storm" that brought 3-5" to most of the DC metro area, the metro region has seen little to no snow. And it's been warm. December finished over two degrees above normal at Reagan National...
By Matt Ross | January 8, 2008; 04:45 AM ET | Comments (20)
