Super Bowl Sunday in the DC area is expected to kick off with a winter storm that could dump 3-5 inches of heavy, sleet snow.
The fast-moving blizzard is expected to arrive in DC, Maryland and Northern Virginia at night – and be out before it’s time to make your nachos, says Storm Team4 meteorologist Lauryn Ricketts.
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“If you’re on your way to the Super Bowl, there won’t be any snow, but it will certainly be slippery,” said Ricketts.
A winter storm warning will be in effect for the Washington, DC area, from 3 a.m. to 12 p.m., the National Weather Service says.
“Traveling can be very difficult,” warned the NWS.
A winter weather advisory will be in effect for some Virginia counties in the far north and west and Calvert and St. Mary’s counties in Maryland. Here’s a full list of weather warnings.
Do your shopping on Saturdays when it is dry and windy with temperatures reaching almost 50 °.
The skies will be cloudy during the afternoon and the snow can arrive around 3am at temperatures close to below zero. By the time you wake up, roads and sidewalks may have some ice and mud.
The Interstate 95 corridor is in line for some of the heaviest snow totals.
Far south Maryland is a question mark, but Ricketts said an upgrade to a winter storm warning is possible there.
After the 12-hour burst of snow, the storm is moving away and you can expect some melting in the afternoon as the temperature rises.
After this blizzard has passed, winter is certainly not over here. Monday will be bitterly cold with temperatures only in the low to mid 30s but with plenty of sunshine. On Tuesday, temperatures soar into the low to mid 40s, but Storm Team4 follows a different area with a slight winter mix.
Snow timing and totals for DC, Maryland and Virginia
Generally, Storm Team4 expects 3 to 5 inches of snow along the I-95 corridor from Frederick County, Maryland, to Spotsylvania County, Virginia. There is evidence of locally higher amounts in a line just south and east of DC
By 3 am, DC and metro should see Maryland and Virginia snow. Far southeastern Maryland might start out as a little mix of rain and snow.
Snow will continue to fall, sometimes moderate or heavy, during the morning hours.
Heavy sleet will continue to pile up in the morning and the heaviest snow will fall between 6am and 10am
Snowfall can hit an inch per hour on Sunday morning, reducing visibility, says the National Weather Service.
Before lunch and in the early afternoon, temperatures will rise to the upper 30s, snow showers can mix with some rain. That could melt away some of the winter wonderland and cause slippery roads.
By 3:00 PM, the DC area will dry out as the temperature approaches 40 ° by the late afternoon. The National Weather Service says that up to 6 inches is possible in some spots.
Dozens of cars, including two Iowa State Patrol cars, got stuck in a pile on an icy highway outside Des Moines, Iowa on Thursday.
As soon as the winter storm shoots out of the Mid-Atlantic Ocean, the evening turns dry.
There will be some slippery spots, so be very careful when you meet your pandemic pod to watch the Kansas City Chiefs take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Super Bowl.
Stick with Storm Team4 for the latest weather forecast