Widespread snowfall blanketed much of D.C., Maryland and Virginia Friday, and some areas saw as much as 3 inches.
Snowfall totals varied widely depending on the area. Places north of D.C. only saw a trace, but southern areas near Fredericksburg and Fauquier County, Virginia, have upward of 3 inches, Storm Team4 Meteorologist Lauryn Ricketts said just before noon.
Most snow ended by about 12:30 p.m. or so, with the exception of a few flurries.
But a refreeze and freezing drizzle are possible Friday night, threatening ice accumulation and slick roads and walkways. A winter weather advisory is in effect until 1 a.m.
School districts across the region to opened late or were closed for the day. See a full list of delays and closures here.
News4 saw flakes sticking to Interstate 95 near Stafford, Virginia, in the 5 a.m. hour, and road crews were treating slicks spots in the Fredericksburg area.
Flurries of large, fluffy flakes were seen falling in downtown D.C., plus the suburbs in Maryland and Virginia, by 8 a.m.
As flakes piled up, several school districts announced they would close instead of opening late. Others opened two hours late.
But Montgomery County Public Schools decided to open on time Friday. Some parents told News4 they disagreed with the decision.
“Could’ve just kinda given the kids a break, for sure. You know, it’s kinda cold out here. We kinda need a break for the kids, you know?” one mom said.
“It was rough. Some buses didn’t show up. Our bus was late. I saw three accidents driving my kid to school,” another mom told News4.
“All indicators pointed to light snow with no expected impact to bus routes or school buildings. That is exactly what we saw this morning. Schools and offices opened safely and smoothly, and instruction and services continued. Based on the information we had, this was the right call,” MCPS said in part in a statement.
Crashes reported amid snowfall
Crews pretreated major roads, but the snow made for a wet and slow morning commute.
Shortly before 11:30 a.m., Virginia State Police reported there have been 141 crashes across the state since midnight. Multiple people were injured in those crashes. No one died, state police said.
VDOT Northern Virginia said crews are treating slick spots, and asked the public to limit travel or go slowly. Drivers can go here to check on current road conditions throughout the state.
Slow travel on the Capital Beltway and other travel woes were reported as the snowfall persisted into the late morning.
Multiple crashes were reported in Montgomery County, Maryland, including a crash that blocked all lanes of northbound Interstate 270 at Maryland Route 189. Traffic was getting by on the shoulder, but delays were building, transportation officials said about 8:30 a.m. It’s unclear if snow caused the crashes.
A crash blocked all lanes of US-1 (Richmond Highway) near VA-286 (Fairfax County Parkway) in the Fort Belvoir area, the Metropolitan Area Transportation Operations Coordination (MATOC) Program said. An extended closure was expected.
Prince William Parkway eastbound reopened after it was closed at Coloriver Road Friday morning until the road could be treated, Prince William County police said.
The Thomas Johnson Bridge in Solomons, Maryland, was shut down in both directions after multiple crashes involving several vehicles, Calvert County authorities said.
The snow tapered off to flurries Friday afternoon and ended soon after. Cold temperatures this weekend will help any snow on the ground stick around.
Temperatures will top off in the low 30s Friday afternoon, so temps will be running about 20 degrees below normal.
Here are the school closures and delays
Several school districts announced closures and delays.
In Virginia, several public school districts announced closures, including Culpeper County, Fauquier County, Fredericksburg, Loudoun County, Manassas Park, Orange County, Page County, Shenandoah County, Spotsylvania County and Stafford County.
Public schools in Alexandria, Falls Church and Fairfax County opened two hours late.
In Maryland, Prince George’s County Public Schools decided to close as weather conditions worsened.
Anne Arundel County Public Schools and Calvert County Public Schools announced a two-hour delay.
Montgomery County Public Schools said schools would open on time and advised the community be extra cautious when driving or walking to bus stops.
Keep an eye on our school closings page for the latest updates.
How local agencies prepared ahead of the wintry weather
In the District:
D.C. activated an Extreme Cold Alert through Friday at 9 a.m. If you need help or see someone in need of shelter, please call 202-399-7093 or 311. If you believe someone is in immediate danger, call 911. When calling, include the date and time, the address or location, and a description of the person in need. You can find info on low-barrier shelters in D.C. online here.
The District Snow Team was set to be deployed and pretreating roads with brine Thursday evening, before starting salting major roadways and elevated structures at midnight.
In Virginia:
The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) said Thursday afternoon it was pretreating major roads ahead of the wintry weather. VDOT officials are urging drivers to be careful and give road crews enough space to perform their work safely.
In Maryland:
Maryland’s State Highway Administration said roads were getting pretreatment. Chopper4 got a glimpse of the plows out on interstates.
Montgomery County’s Department of Transportation said Friday morning crews were treating emergency and primary roads.
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