Capital Weather Gang: Snowstorm Could Span 3 Days

PHOTOS: Snow photo/Shutterstock; photo 2: Angela Fritz, meteorologist with the Capital Weather Gang, takes questions Tuesday afternoon on Facebook about a snowstorm forecast for the DC metro area this weekend.

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ALEXANDRIA, VA -- The DC metro area is “very likely” to see at least 8 inches of snow when a forecasted storm hits the area this weekend, a meteorologist with the Washington Post’s Capital Weather Gang said Tuesday.

And the area could see snow fall from Friday into Sunday, she said.

The Weather Gang’s Angela Fritz was peppered with questions from about 1,800 area residents Tuesday afternoon during a free-wheeling Q&A on Facebook about a snowstorm that forecasters say will hit the DC region this weekend.

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Questions ranged from how the snow could impact air travel, school schedules and the possibility for power outages.

Here’s what we found out:

Snow totals

Fritz said it’s still early to predict, but as of Tuesday, here are the chances for possible snow totals that can be expected:

• 90 percent chance of 1 inch of snow for the area.
• 65 percent chance of 8 inches of snow
• 50 percent chance of 12 inches of snow
• 15 percent chance of 20 inches of snow

Will school be out?

As of Tuesday, the range for when snow will start falling is anywhere from Friday morning to Friday afternoon; Fritz said that she expects larger jurisdictions to be more cautious--Friday could see anything from closures to early dismissals. The calls will likely be made Thursday night into Friday morning as the forecast becomes clearer.

For Monday, roadways will likely need to be cleared before kids can return to school, she said. She doesn’t see days-long closures because temperatures are expected to rise next week, she said.

Long-duration event

Look for the storm to last from Friday into Sunday morning.

White-out conditions

Winds are expected to howl and blow snow around at about 40 MPH in the DC area and blow stronger, 50-60 MPH, on the coastline. Don’t try to drive in it, she said.

Wet Snow vs. Dry Snow

Look for drier snow farther west and wet snow farther east, Fritz said. Heavy snowfall, sleet and freezing rain could mean power outages, she noted.