Models Continue to Show More Snow

The short-range models and radar trends continue to advocate more snow for our area and an unusually high probability of convection - thundersnow - this afternoon.

5 inches or more seems likely at this point with higher amounts out to the west.  Portions of Fairfax and Loudoun counties could see almost 10 inches.

The Winter Storm Warning has now been extended for all but the southern portion of Maryland.  The second round of precipitation is moving into the Charlottesville, VA area now.  The center of the upper-level energy seems to be in western North Carolina.

I worry that the worst of this will be right around rush hour and if you're reading this and you're in the DC/Baltimore Metro area (especially if you're to the north and west of the cities), you might consider leaving early.  The Federal Government just announced that they will close 2 hours early.

From the National Weather Service:

...RAPIDLY DETERIORATING CONDITIONS FOR THE MID TO LATE AFTERNOON
AND EVENING RUSH HOUR COMMUTE...

AFTER A BREAK IN PRECIPITATION THIS MORNING...ACCUMULATING SNOW
WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. A MIX OF RAIN
AND SNOW WILL QUICKLY CHANGE TO ALL SNOW DURING THE AFTERNOON AS
IT BECOMES HEAVY. THE PERIOD OF HEAVY SNOW WILL COINCIDE WITH THE
LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING RUSH HOUR COMMUTE ACROSS MOST OF THE
REGION...INCLUDING THE WASHINGTON DC AND BALTIMORE METROPOLITAN
AREAS. CONDITIONS IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND WILL DETERIORATE AROUND
SUNSET AS PRECIPITATION CHANGES TO SNOW.

THE HEAVY SNOW WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES BELOW A QUARTER MILE WITH
SNOWFALL ACCUMULATION RATES AT TIMES OF 2 INCHES PER HOUR. THIS
WILL PRODUCE DANGEROUS TRAVEL CONDITIONS DURING RUSH HOUR. SNOW
WILL MOVE OUT OF THE AREA BY MIDNIGHT.