Major winter storm predicted, starting tomorrow morning

The biggest winter storm of the year is headed out way Thursday morning. Three to six inches of snow and about a quarter-inch of ice are predicted for the D.C. metro area, the National Weather Service predicts.

[Update: The Fairfax County Health Department has canceled vaccination clinics scheduled for Thursday at the Fairfax County Government Center and four Health Department district offices. People who had an appointment will get an email with instructions for rescheduling.]

The combination of snow, ice, and freezing temperatures will create hazardous conditions on the roads, so people are encouraged to stay avoid driving. 

Freezing temperatures mean snow and sleet will stick, and visibility is expected to be limited, especially on Thursday morning. Be extra careful walking outside, as icy sidewalks will be slippery.

The wintry mix is expected to continue intermittently through Thursday afternoon and noon and possibly into the morning hours on Friday. 

Virginia Department of Transportation crews are pre-treating about 2,000 lane miles of interstate highways and primary roads in Northern Virginia today. Pretreatment helps prevent ice from bonding so crews will be able to remove snow and ice later. 

About 3,000 pieces of staged equipment will be loaded and staged tonight to treat roads., Crews will begin to plow as soon as two inches of snow have accumulated, VDOT reports. Additional equipment and crews are on standby to remove downed trees. 

To see where the plows are, check out the VDOT snowplow map. Visit the VDOT 511 page for traffic conditions.

Here’s how to prepare: 

• Move cars into the drive to make room for snowplows. 
• Charge your devices. 
• Locate emergency supplies, such as flashlights and candles, in case of a power outage. 
• Have emergency numbers ready including 1-866-366-4357 to report a power outage. Outages can also be reported to Dominion online.