National Weather Service: Prepare for Possible Snowy Commute Tuesday Morning

The Northern Virginia area will likely see a snowy commute Tuesday morning, according to the Monday forecast from the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for the entire area, including Alexandria, Arlington, Fairfax County and Falls Church, in effect from 4 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday. The heaviest snow is expected to fall between 6-11 a.m.

“Snow is going to be moving in from west to east probably after 4 a.m., closer to like 5 or so,” said Ken Widelski, a meterologist at the weather service’s Sterling office.

Expect snow to continue falling through the morning rush hour tomorrow ending around mid-day, Widelski said.

The Northern Virginia area will probably see “upwards of 1 to 2 inches of snow,” he said. The snow is expected to be the “dry powder” variety, not the heavy wet stuff, which means it will likely not be weighing down power lines and trees, he noted.

With temperatures in the 30s, Widelski said he expects the snow to stick to the roads ”for sure.”

Virginia Department of Transportation crews are preparing Monday. VDOT is asking drivers to check road conditions before leaving, to delay trips if necessary and to be aware of changing road conditions throughout the day.

By 4 a.m. Tuesday, about 500 trucks will be staged throughout Loudoun, Fairfax, Prince William and Arlington counties to treat roads. Crews will treat road with salt and sand, and will plow once about two inches of snow has accumulated.

Crews are pre-treating some major roads today in western Loudoun with salt brine where the most snow accumulation is expected.

VDOT reminds drivers to use caution in winter weather, and:

• Check www.511virginia.org for road conditions

• Slow down and allow for extra time to reach your destination

• Be aware of potentially icy areas such as shady spots and bridges

• Get more details on snow removal in northern Virginia

MAP from National Weather Service issued Tuesday at 1 p.m. Purple area shows Winter Weather Advisory