Monday, February 28, 2005

Storm updates...

Nowcast

5:30pm:
By 4pm, snow reports had tapered off to light intensities in the metro area. Shortly after 5, radar showed an area of snow with some breaks extending from just north of Charlottesville northeastward across the DC area. As this area moves through in the next couple of hours, snowfall will decrease and become more intermittent, possibly mixing with or changing to sleet or freezing rain in some places. There is a chance of more flurries or light snow tonight as an upper-air disturbance now over the Midwest moves toward us. For some snow measurements made during the day, check out the NWS Public Information Statement.
4:00pm: This afternoon's surface weather map showed a respectable low-pressure area off the coast about due east of the Virginia/North Carolina border continuing to bring in a flow of moisture off the Atlantic. The area of snow continues on radar from south of Charlottesville northeastward through DC and surrounding counties and across all except southeasternmost Maryland. Dulles reported heavy snow for a third hour at 3pm, while reports of moderate snow outnumbered those of light snow in the metro area.
Here in MoCo outside the Beltway, the picnic table has about 2 to 2.5" of accumulation. Pavement is mostly snow-covered but wet and slushy in places.
2:30pm: Snow has picked up in intensity over much of the area in early afternoon. Radar continues to show snow extending to the southwest of DC to at least Charlottesville, which was still reporting light snow. The rain/snow line has moved slowly northward north of Richmond on I-95 and across to near the mouth of the Potomac River. Dulles has reported heavy snow for the last 2 hours and other locations have light to moderate snow. Here in Greater Potomac, snow is definitely heavier; lawns and shrubs are thoroughly coated. The picnic table has about an inch of accumulation on the eyeball scale. Streets and driveways are lightly coated. The wind at Cape Hatteras is now from the west-northwest and the barometer was rising, as the storm center continues to move gradually away.

Forecast


Snow will diminish in intensity during the evening. Total snow amounts will be near the low end of the predicted range, or somewhat lower in some areas.

Scroll down to the previous post for earlier history. Also, scroll down to the bottom of Jason's post below for the latest on closings and other useful links.

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