The Southeast will be affected by a storm Sunday into Monday, but questions remain about the impact on the mid-Atlantic
By Storm Team4 ••
Storm Team4 Meteorologist Chuck Bell has the forecast for Dec. 6, 2018.
What to Know
The Southeast is set to be affected by a storm Sunday into Monday, but questions remain on how far north the storm will go.
It may be a day or two before we can nail down better details. At this point, it's still too early to pinpoint an exact forecast.
Storm Team4 is monitoring the potential for a snowstorm in our area Sunday or Monday — but it's looking like chances have dropped in the past day.
The Southeast is set to be affected by a storm Sunday into Monday, but questions remain on how far north the storm will go, and the storm's impact in the Mid-Atlantic region.
On Friday, the storm will be passing through Texas. A dry cold front will move through our region that day, allowing for temperatures to drop for the weekend, and moisture will move to the northeast Saturday night through Monday.
Another piece of energy coming out of Canada may or may not interact with this storm Sunday into Monday. If the two pieces of energy combine, the storm will affect the D.C. area, but the storm will likely stay to the south if they don't.
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Storm Team4 Chief Meteorologist Doug Kammerer predicts a white winter, with colder-than-average temperatures and plenty of snow.
What We Know
While this storm is still four days away, we are starting to draw some better conclusions about what might happen. We'll have cold air in place, so a wintry mix of rain, snow sleet and freezing rain is in play.
We do know that the storm will affect a good portion of the Mid-Atlantic, especially locations in North Carolina and the southern Appalachian mountains, bringing a big bout of winter weather to the mid-Atlantic states and rain to the Deep South.
As it's looking as of Thursday morning, we may just be on the northern edge of any real snow chance, with most of the moisture staying to our south.
Models have been forecasting this storm since last week. A storm is coming up through the Deep South, but will we get snow here or will it stay to the south?
By two to three days out, we'll have a better idea of who may be affected. Then, by one to two days out, we can fine-tune details such as what locations will see what type of precipitation or what the possible totals of precipitation might be. We'll also get an idea of who will see the biggest impact.
Washington Nationals Baseball Club/K. Summerer for Visit Alexandria/Mike Beaty
Will Avila
Miracle on Seventh Street, aka the Christmas bar, has reopened for the season. This year, the Shaw pop-up bar celebrates D.C.'s famous pandas and has a room designed to look like the inside of a New Year's Eve ball.
Cirque Dreams Holidaze at MGM National Harbor
Billed as "part Broadway musical, new cirque adventure and a family show," this gravity-defying holiday experience comes to MGM National Harbor, complete with flying ornaments, Santa, snowmen, penguins and illusions, and (of course) it's set to a backdrop of holiday tunes.
Downtown Holiday Market
The Downtown Holiday Market continues a 14-year wintertime tradition outside the Smithsonian American Art Museum and National Portrait Gallery. More than 150 exhibitors will help you fulfill everyone's wishlist while you enjoy entertainment, snacks and treats.
Nick Eckert
What’s Christmas without a little bit of quirk? Every year on Christmas Eve, Water Skiing Santa attracts a crowd as he glides along the Potomac at the Old Town waterfront. Planners say the best viewing area is the Alexandria City Marina and Waterfront Park. Stick around for a meet-and-greet with Santa and Mrs. Claus.
George Washington's Mount Vernon
Enjoy a historic holiday during Christmas at Mount Vernon, which offers events such as candlelight tours, a dog-friendly "Howlidays" photo opp, fireworks and cookie decorating.
Kings Dominion
Kings Dominion transforms into a winter wonderland during Winterfest as the theme park is illuminated with millions of shimmering lights, a 300-foot tree and holiday displays. Catch live shows and strolling performers, as well as holiday activities and dishes. The park says up to 21 rides will be open as well.
Ford's Theatre
Catch a perennial holiday classic at Ford's Theatre, which is bringing a musical edition of "A Christmas Carol" to the stage. Tickets start at $32 for some performances.
Caroline Tucker, NBC
The U.S. Botanic Garden's lush holiday train display features more than 30 models of U.S. train stations, including Union Station and Grand Central, plus a dozen D.C. landmarks including the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial — all made from plant materials. Thousands of poinsettias are also on display, and of course, miniature trains travel throughout. Admission is free.
Gaylord National Resort
Impressive ice sculptures depict Charlie Brown and the crew during ICE! at the Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Maryland. This year's theme, "A Charlie Brown Christmas," features scenes from the iconic Christmas special.
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You've got your pick of performances of the holiday classic ballet "The Nutcracker." The Kennedy Center and the Warner Theatre both have offerings this season, and you can find a hip-hop rendition at the Strathmore, Dec. 18-19.
Tommy McFly
LightUP Fest is one of many holiday lighting displays around the DMV, but there's no doubt that this one packs a particular punch. With more than a million lights across 20 acres of land, organizers say the exhibition is one of the largest on the East Coast. You'll also find performances from acrobats, dancers and musicians, food for purchase and activities such as calligraphy, portrait sketching and rice carving. Admission is free on Tuesdays for all first responders and active-duty military with proper ID.
Vicki Bendure
Did you think everything on this list would be a holiday experience? Well, not quite. You can immerse yourself in the history, luxury and prestige of the president’s plane… well, a life-size replica, anyway, during The Air Force One Experience at National Harbor. Tickets are $15-$35.
What's Still to Be Determined
There have been conflicting models run over the past several days regarding the storm track.
At times, model runs have trended the storm south of the region, which would mean we wouldn't get much winter weather at all, with some spots getting nothing. In other runs, the track of the storm shifts north, bringing us a better chance of accumulating snow in our region. We also know that just a small shift in the track will have major impacts on our forecast.
The jury is also still out on the timing. We could have an all-day Sunday event, a Sunday-night-into-Monday event, or solely a Monday event. Different models indicate different timing scenarios.
It may be a day or two before we can nail down better details, but at this point, it is just too early and too difficult to pinpoint an exact forecast.
If you have plans for the end of the weekend and into the beginning of next week, this will be something that you will have to monitor very closely. We'll be keeping a close eye on it for you as well.
