Looks like the real deal for a snow emergency on Friday
We've gotten used to the snow this year, but for the most part have avoided snow making a large impact during the work week. That could all change tomorrow, with blizzard conditions developing during the workday.
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC 959 AM EST THU FEB 4 2010
...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM FRIDAY TO 10 PM EST SATURDAY... THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW WITH NEAR-BLIZZARD CONDITIONS...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM FRIDAY TO 10 PM EST SATURDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. * PRECIPITATION TYPE...HEAVY SNOW. * ACCUMULATIONS...STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 16 TO 24 INCHES. * TIMING...SNOW WILL BEGIN MID-MORNING FRIDAY...AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING. CONDITIONS WILL DETERIORATE RAPIDLY FRIDAY AFTERNOON...WITH HEAVIEST SNOWFALL OCCURRING BETWEEN SUNSET FRIDAY TO SUNRISE SATURDAY. THE MOST HAZARDOUS WINTER WEATHER CONDITIONS WILL OCCUR FRIDAY NIGHT...WHEN THE COMBINATION OF HEAVY SNOW AND STRONG WINDS WILL REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO BELOW ONE-QUARTER MILE...PRODUCING NEAR-BLIZZARD CONDITIONS. * TEMPERATURES...HIGHS IN THE LOWER 30S FRIDAY. FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY...TEMPERATURES WILL BE IN THE MID 20S. * WINDS...BECOMING NORTHEAST 10 TO 20 MPH FRIDAY WITH GUSTS TO 30 MPH FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... THIS STORM HAS THE POTENTIAL TO BE SIMILAR TO THE 19 DECEMBER STORM. PLAN FOR SUBSTANTIAL DISRUPTIONS TO TRAVEL FRIDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH THE WEEKEND. A WINTER STORM WARNING MEANS SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. STRONG WINDS ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. THIS WILL MAKE TRAVEL VERY HAZARDOUS OR NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FRIDAY NIGHT.This storm could result in enough accumulation by Friday's evening rush hour that Metrorail cannot operate above ground. Not to be a chicken little here, but if you are relying on above-ground Metrorail to get home tomorrow night, you may want to reconsider going to work. We'll see if OPM and/or the District governments decide to close early tomorrow. This would be a good time for the government to say flintiness or not, a blizzard during evening rush hour is a disaster in the making.
weather.com is predicting a 100% chance of precipitation on Saturday. Its not very often you can get a weather person to come down with sort of certainty.
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