Northern Virginia Weather: Snow On The Way

STERLING, VA — Snow is on the way again, but how it affects Northern Virginia's work week remains something of a wild card. That's the word from various reports, including the official forecast from the National Weather Service's area headquarters in Ashburn.

There's a good chance of the white stuff Monday night and Tuesday, as well as Friday, although to a lesser degree. As the Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang points out, the big question is whether we'll get a dusting or whether the temperatures take a dive below freezing. "In the latter scenario, untreated surfaces may become snowy and slick as temperatures drop below freezing, making for a rush-hour mess. Models’ forecasts present both possibilities."

One certainty is that by the middle of the week, things are, in fact, expected to get much colder. That begins Tuesday night with lows in the teens. Here's the detailed forecast from the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Showers likely, mainly before 10pm. Patchy fog before 7pm. Otherwise, cloudy, with a low around 39. North wind 6 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Monday: A chance of showers, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 46. Northeast wind 8 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Monday Night: A slight chance of rain and snow showers before 1am, then snow showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 32. North wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Tuesday: Snow showers likely, mainly before 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 37. Northwest wind 6 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 18.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 37.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 50.

Thursday Night: A chance of rain before 1am, then a chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Friday: A chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 39. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 20.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 36.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 25.

Sunday: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42.

Image via Patch