Winter Storm Watch, Warning Issued for Parts of Area

Some areas could see up to a foot of snow

We haven't even reached Halloween, yet, but some parts of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia could see up to a foot of snow this weekend.

Inside the Beltway, it still looks like not much of a snow event, News4 meteorologist Doug Kammerer said. No shoveling; no snowmen; no snowball fights.

Winter storm warnings have been issued for western and northern Maryland, the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia and parts of West Virginia from midnight through 6 p.m. Saturday as a storm blows through the region.

The following areas are included in the winter storm warning:

  • Frederick County (Md.)
  • Loudoun County
  • Northern Fauquier County
  • Washington County
  • Extreme western Allegany County
  • Central and eastern Allegany County
  • Shenandoah County
  • Frederick County (Va.)
  • Page County
  • Warren County
  • Clarke County
  • Madison County
  • Rappahannock County
  • Grant County
  • Mineral County
  • Berkeley County
  • Morgan County
  • Hampshire County
  • Jefferson County
  • Hardy County

The warning includes the cities of Hagerstown, Frostburg, Cumberland, Winchester, Front Royal, Martinsburg, Charles Town, Moorefield, Bayard, Mount Storm, Petersburg, Elk Garden, Keyser, Fort Ashby, Washington, Leesburg and Warrenton.

People in warned areas should be careful on the roads and be prepared for power outages as snow is likely to accumulate on trees that still have their leaves, which could lead to broken limbs.

Montgomery and Howard counties remain under a winter storm watch due to the potential for five or more inches of snow.

Snow began falling in West Virginia and western Virginia late Friday afternoon, and by about 11 p.m., there were reports of two inches of snow accumulating in the higher elevation of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Potomac Highlands, Kammerer reported.

Light rain was falling in D.C. before 10 p.m., with moderate rain in some suburbs.

Areas with elevations above 1,000 feet will get the most accumulation, and snow is likely to melt on roadways at lower elevations. 

After highs in the upper 40s and lower 50s Friday, it will be windy and colder Saturday, as the rain brings cold air down with it. Highs possibly will not get above the low 40s Saturday, and the first freeze of the season is likely.

Expect a coating of snow from a burst on the backside of the storm in D.C., Montgomery County, Fairfax County and down through Prince William County to Fredericksburg as it moves out of the area late Saturday afternoon. Snow is not expected east of D.C.

Periods of heavy rain are likely in the D.C. metro region through Saturday afternoon.

The D.C. area hasn’t had any October snow since 1979.  We've had measurable snow in October only three times in the past since records began in the late 1800s. 

In D.C. and Prince George's County, Md., snow crews held practice runs in case they're needed over the weekend.


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