UPDATE: Weather Service Issues Winter Weather Advisory

IMAGE: National Weather Service map shows area in purple under Winter Weather Advisory starting Friday at 6 p.m.

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UPDATE Friday 12:30 p.m.: The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory that goes into effect for the entire Washington DC metro region at 6 p.m.

The Advisory is in effect from 6 p.m. to Midnight. The weather service expects snow showers with accumulations of a coating to an inch. Snow showers are most likely between 6-8 p.m. across suburbs north and west of DC and most likely between 8-11 p.m. inside the Beltway, the weather service reports.

Below freezing temperatures will allow for snow that falls to stick on untreated surfaces. This means untreated roads will become snow-covered and icy Friday night, making travel difficult. Untreated sidewalks, parking lots and walkways will also become hazardous for pedestrians, the NWS warns.

Winds will pick up with gusts up to 30 MPH toward midnight. Temperatures will be in the upper 20s to lower 30s this afternoon, falling into the 20s this evening.

VDOT treating roadways

Although a three-day weekend is on the horizon, motorists are asked to finish trips in Northern Virginia by early afternoon today, says the Virginia Department of Transportation, or plan to use extreme caution during the evening rush hour.

With below-freezing temperatures in place and snow showers expected to begin as early as 5 p.m., VDOT will have 1,150 trucks deployed to continually treat roads by early afternoon. Crews began treating roads in advance yesterday and are finishing mid-day today.

What drivers should know - tips from VDOT

· Snow showers are expected to begin as early as 5 p.m., with temperatures well below freezing through the night.

· Drivers are asked to leave early Friday, if possible, to be off the road prior to the storm, to avoid icy conditions and give crews room to work.

· If driving is necessary, be alert possible icy conditions. Reduce speeds, increase following distance, and brake gently. Plan now to allow extra time for a slow and extremely cautious trip.

· Icy conditions are possible through the rush hour and overnight; with icy patches possible through the weekend given the low temperatures forecasted.

Check www.511virginia.org or the mobile app before leaving for road conditions.

VDOT’s Northern Virginia District includes Loudoun, Fairfax, Prince William and Arlington counties (Arlington maintains its own secondary roads).

Follow @vadotnova on Twitter

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Snow showers that could start falling in the region as early as 5 p.m. Friday could play havoc with the evening commute by icing roadways as temperatures plunge below freezing, according to weather forecasts.

The snow showers are expected to start west and move east, with the possibility of hitting inside the Beltway closer to 7-8 p.m. window, which means anyone driving should plan to be on the road an hour ahead of time, the Capital Weather Gang points out in a report Friday.

Here’s what the National Weather Service warned in a Hazardous Weather Outlook issued Friday morning for the region:

A burst of snow showers will be likely this evening with the passage of an Arctic front. A gale warning and freezing spray advisory is in effect for the waters tonight.

The snow showers “may quickly cover road surfaces with an icy, slick film,” the Capital Weather Gang notes.

Here’s what the National Weather Service tweeted out Friday morning:

For the rest of the weekend:

• The gale warning and freezing spray advisory continues through Saturday night.
• Wind chills values below minus 5 degrees are likely Saturday night into Sunday morning.
• Also: There is an enhanced threat of a winter storm late Sunday night through Monday night, the NWS warns.

PHOTO from Patch archive