Snowfall Totals Increase For Parts Of NoVA, Winter Storm Watch Issued

Updated at 4:56 p.m.

The National Weather Service on Friday issued a winter storm watch for parts of Northern Virginia ahead of a coastal system that could now drop up to 5 inches of snow on some parts of the state.

Currently, the watch is in effect from Sunday afternoon to Monday morning for Loudoun County, though snowfall estimates have increased for other counties in the region, according to the National Weather Service.

"Snow may begin Sunday morning, but the heaviest snow and coldest temperatures are most likely late Sunday afternoon through early Monday morning," the National Weather Service said in the alert.

The storm is expected to track from the Gulf Coast on Saturday to the Atlantic coast on Sunday, according to the latest AccuWeather forecast, and will likely spread snow from West Virginia, Virginia and Pennsylvania to the mid-Atlantic and New England coasts.

While the storm’s exact track and rate of intensification remain to be seen, it is likely the D.C. region will see a mix of light rain and snow starting during the overnight hours on Saturday and continuing into Monday.

"The critical question for heavy versus light snow along I-95 is the track of the coastal storm," said Dan DePodwin, AccuWeather vice president of forecasting operations. "That track will depend on how quickly the storm intensifies."

According to The Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang, Northern Virginia residents can likely expect some light rain and mixed precipitation during the predawn hours on Sunday, followed by light rain, snow or a mix during the day.

"We lean toward any snow being fairly light with temperatures in the mid-30s or higher, which would limit accumulation potential during the daylight hours," the Capital Weather Gang wrote. "But we can’t rule out snow becoming heavy enough to drop temperatures closer to freezing and start accumulating, especially on grassy areas, by late afternoon."

Snow is likely on Sunday night, which offers the best chance for accumulation. A lingering chance of snow remains through Monday morning, according to forecasters.

Looking ahead, Northern Virginia should expect a chilly start to the workweek with temperatures slightly above freezing, though conditions should be milder by midweek.

Here's a look at the detailed National Weather Service forecast for the D.C. region:

Friday Night: Increasing clouds, with a low around 42. West wind 10 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.

Saturday: Cloudy, then gradual clearing during the afternoon, with a high near 53. Northwest wind 6 to 8 mph.

Saturday Night: A chance of rain after 1am, mixing with snow after 4am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 37. East wind 3 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Sunday: Rain and snow. High near 40. Northeast wind 6 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Sunday Night: Rain and snow, becoming all snow after 10pm. Low around 31. North wind around 16 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New snow accumulation of 1 to 3 inches possible.

Monday: A chance of snow before 1pm, then a slight chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 39. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 38.