The Weather (2026)

[imref]

Here too, none sticking though. Schools on a two hour delay because Fairfax county loves an excuse to open late or close

CWG posted a little while ago that they are seeing indications of a potential heavy snow band tonight, which could push snow totals up. I think there's just so much uncertainty around this storm that everyone wants to err on the side of caution. OPM just announced that the Federal Government is opening 2 hours late as well with options for unscheduled leave.

[HalfSmokes]

It’s supposed to be 36 out when the band comes through. Maybe it could stick if everything was dry, but it’s soaking wet

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Don't be the cheese shop proprietor

they are blessed

[blue911]

Don't be the cheese shop proprietor

No,fraid not.

[imref]

Snow seems to be over in western Prince William. Didn’t even cover the grass

[1995hoo]

I took the recycling out to the curb at around 8:30. Snow is sticking, but it’s a wet, slushy mess.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

Wet sloppy crud here in Adams Morgan, and then there's the snow...

[varoadking]

Wet sloppy crud here in Adams Morgan, and then there's the snow...

 

[Count Walewski]

This snow is GROSS. The moment you touch it - with your foot, with your shovel, with your car - it turns into slush. Can't wait for this slop to melt.

[1995hoo]

We didn't get much of it. I'd call it "nuisance snow." I wouldn't have bothered clearing it except I have to drive my wife to a medical appointment this afternoon and I didn't want to risk her slipping on it when we get in the car. It was wet, slushy stuff that's probably somewhat heavy if you use a shovel to clear it (I used a small battery-powered snowblower instead, mainly to avoid using a metal shovel near the car in the driveway).

[Natsinpwc]

Not much snow here. Nice to look at from the inside but damn windy out there.

 Hopefully our plane tomorrow is coming from the south and not Boston or New York.

[Natsinpwc]

Well some folks are getting two feet of snow.  Just not here. We need a weather report from Welch.

[1995hoo]

I'm supposed to take a day trip to New York this Saturday (via the Acela). I assume the trains ought to be running normally by then, and I assume the underground parts of the subway have probably kept running as normal with the exception of express trains not necessarily running. I simply need to get from Penn Station to City Hall, which is three stops on the 2/3 if the express is running, so I assume I probably won't have any problems, but I guess the place I'm going will let me know if they have to cancel.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Well some folks are getting two feet of snow.  Just not here. We need a weather report from Welch.

I think my brother's snow blower  is  out  of commission up in New Hampshire.  Probably getting a foot and a half.

More important than the snow itself will be the power. I've been after him for 10 years to get a backup generator or battery for the heat and the fridge. I was up there in 2018 when he lost power helping to take care of my Dad when he  was at a business conference. Dad stayed under blankets so I don't know if he realized the power  was out. As for me, I had to participate in a moot court for an upcoming argument in the  DC Circuit when it was around 50 degrees inside the house.

[imref]

20" at a friend's home in Long Island. Roughly the same in Northeast NJ.

[imref]

I'm supposed to take a day trip to New York this Saturday (via the Acela). I assume the trains ought to be running normally by then, and I assume the underground parts of the subway have probably kept running as normal with the exception of express trains not necessarily running. I simply need to get from Penn Station to City Hall, which is three stops on the 2/3 if the express is running, so I assume I probably won't have any problems, but I guess the place I'm going will let me know if they have to cancel.

Amtrak has cancelled a bunch of trains today but you should be fine by Saturday.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

I hear the new Acela seats are straight out of Torquemada's dungeon

[English Natsie]

I hear the new Acela seats are straight out of Torquemada's dungeon

'No! No! - not the comfy chair!...'   

[imref]

Providence RI has recorded almost 38” of snow, and it’s still coming down.

[1995hoo]

I hear the new Acela seats are straight out of Torquemada's dungeon

I found them quite comfortable in December the last time I rode on a new Acela (funny thing, I was in the exact same railcar northbound and southbound, though not in the same seat). At least, I found the first class seats comfortable. I haven't ridden the new trains in business class yet because I have upgrade coupons. This Saturday I'm on a new train northbound and an old train southbound. Right now I'm booked in business class, but I have more upgrade coupons I plan to use (can't redeem them until 48 hours before travel). Timing is just right as those coupons expire on March 1.

One thing that was kind of nice on the way home was that the tray table had a fold-down cupholder that worked independently of the table. If you want to leave the table closed, you can flip down the cupholder to hold your drink. It worked quite well with a stemless wine glass. Nice idea that that airlines could certainly adopt.


Edited to add: And for those who are interested in such things, it turns out you can't use an upgrade coupon if you have used any other sort of coupon. I had a courtesy $25 discount Amtrak had sent me when the train was half an hour late last summer; I also had a $100 voucher they sent me when it was 18° and the the heat wasn't working out of DC until we got to Baltimore. I used both of them for this Saturday's trip. The $25 coupon disqualified me from using an upgrade coupon. I thought about having the guy reverse the coupon so that I could then upgrade, but he said there are no first-class seats available for the Saturday afternoon train home, so I decided just to see what the new Acela's business class is like. Yeah, I lose the upgrade coupons. Oh well.

[1995hoo]

So I’m on that new Acela as I type. The seat is firm, but I don’t find it uncomfortable at all. I should add that I have a fairly firm desk chair that I like, so that might influence my opinion. The one thing that doesn’t make sense to me is that on the new trains, they did away with the overhead lockers and instead they just have clear plastic luggage racks. These trains are capable of higher speeds than the old ones, so I don’t know why they did away with enclosed luggage storage.

[The Chief]

60+ degrees out and there are still snow drifts in a few spots.  Funny visual.

[HalfSmokes]

60+ degrees out and there are still snow drifts in a few spots.  Funny visual.

My weather app has an 85% chance of snow on Tuesday and a high of 75 on Thursday.

[imref]

Hi risk of severe storms on Monday for Virginia east of I-81. Potential for tornadoes and winds up to 80mph in the afternoon.

Latest NWS guidance:

KEY MESSAGE 1...A strong cold front pushes across the forecast area
 Monday, bringing gusty winds and potential for severe
 thunderstorms capable of producing significant damaging winds
 and tornadoes.

Precipitation chances begin increasing Sunday as a potent low
pressure system traverses across the Great Lakes into Canada,
pushing the associated fronts across the Mid-Atlantic. The
associated warm front lifts through the area Sunday night with the
cold front tracking across the region during the day Monday. Aloft,
a robust trough digs across the central CONUS, becoming slightly
negatively tilted as it approaches and pivots across the east coast
Monday. This will push the aforementioned cold front across the
forecast area, bringing impactful weather throughout the day.

In the wake of the warm front lifting through Sunday night, high
temperatures on Monday will be in the mid 60s to mid 70s.
Additionally, with southerly flow, dewpoints rise into the upper
50s to low 60s across much of the forecast area ahead of the
cold front. Storms may initiate Monday morning with any
shower/storm capable of producing gusty winds due to a strong
wind field aloft. Later Monday morning and into the afternoon,
storms develop along the cold front as it moves through from
west to east. Damaging winds are likely with severe storms
capable of producing significant damaging wind and tornadoes.
With such a strong wind field aloft, there is the potential for
wind gusts of 70 to 80 mph within severe storms.

Current model guidance shows 300-400 m2/s2 SRH and up to 1400
J/kg SBCAPE which is compatible with a tornado risk across the
area. SPC has the forecast area along and east of the I-81
corridor in an enhanced risk for severe weather with the rest of
the forecast area in a slight risk. PWATS will be seasonably
high, although a fast storm motion limits the flooding risk.

Outside of convective wind gusts, a tight pressure gradient will
lead to gusty winds ahead of and behind the front. Cold air will
be rushing in immediately following the frontal passage. At a
minimum, the Allegheny Mountains will change to snow for a time
in upslope conditions. It remains uncertain if any post-frontal
precipitation lingers to the east long enough to change over.
For now, have a trace across the forecast area as temperatures
plummet with lingering precipitation.

Cold and windy conditions linger into Tuesday with the upper trough
overhead. Tuesday night will likely be the coldest night of the
stretch with widespread temperatures in the teens and 20s. A warming
trend will then take place the remainder of the week as surface high
pressure slides off the coast.

[imref]

Doug Kammerer:

Getting more and more concerned about our severe weather potential on Monday afternoon. SPC (Storm Prediction Center) now has us in an #3 enhanced risk for severe storms and this is 3 days out! That doesn’t happen very often. They also mention that we could go to a #4 Moderate risk tomorrow or Monday. We do NOT see Moderate risk often in our region. The biggest issue could be strong Tornadoes with the severe storms. Be Weather Alert Monday afternoon!! The storm look to come into the DMV between 3&6pm, a bit earlier to the West.