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Storm Team4 Chief Meteorologist Doug Kammerer has the forecast.
A picturesque Wednesday morning with big, white snowflakes quickly turned to rain and slush, and now the big concern is ice.
Ice is coating trees and potentially roads, which could create some hazardous driving conditions Thursday morning. Falling tree limbs are possible, potentially causing power outages.
Avoid driving until at least mid-morning if possible, Storm Team4 Meteorologist Amelia Draper advised.
Several area school districts are closed Thursday or on all-virtual learning.
Federal agencies in the region will delay opening until 10 a.m., according to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Agencies can offer employees unscheduled leave or remote work.
Virginia was hit with a blast of wintry weather today, making for treacherous conditions on the roads. News4's Darcy Spencer talks with people who were out braving the elements.
Flurries of snowflakes began falling across D.C., Maryland and Virginia on Wednesday morning, kicking off the first winter storm of the season. Snow was still falling to the west of D.C. in the Leesburg and Frederick areas and along Interstate 68 near Cumberland, Maryland, late Wednesday, but in the metro area, snow had long since changed over to a cold rain or wintry mix.
Public schools in Prince William, Loudoun and Culpeper counties will be closed Thursday. Virtual learning is canceled.
Spotsylvania County Public Schools are closed Thursday, but content for students to study will be available online.
At least 30 car accidents were reported in an eight hour period due to the storm, including two involving pedestrians, according to Montgomery County Fire and Rescue. News4's Jackie Bensen reports on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020.
Several school districts will offer all-virtual learning, including Arlington, Fairfax and Stafford counties.
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"It's a big storm no matter what," Storm Team4 Meteorologist Chuck Bell said.
Precipitation is likely to continue until about 6 a.m. Thursday. Storm Team4 has declared a weather alert.
Thomas Cluderay/
A man rides his bicycle in Dupont Circle on Dec. 16, 2020 (Photo: Thomas Cluderay)
Frederick, Maryland, was one of the places where snow totals approached or exceeded a foot during a winter storm on Dec. 16, 2020.
Photographer: Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Snow falls around the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020. Winter storm warnings stretch from North Carolina to Maine, affecting more than 51 million people. Photographer: Sarah Silbiger/Bloomberg via Getty Images
(Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
A woman holds a snowball near the US Capitol as a snow storm develops in Washington, DC on December 16, 2020. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)
Sophia Barnes/NBC Washington
Snow falls around the National Cathedral on Dec. 16, 2020.
(Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 16: Snow falls near the Washington Monument on December 16, 2020 in Washington, DC. A storm is expected to deliver a wintery mix of precipitation along the U.S. Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Sara Renwick/@nursewhotravels
Traveling nurse Sara Renwick saw her first snow ever while working in D.C. "It seems magical," she said. "But I'll let you know what I think after a 12 hour shift."
NBC Washington
A sidestreet in Ashburn Village
Getty Images
A mix of rain and snow falls outside the White House in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020.
NBC Washington
News4’s Justin Finch takes a moment to enjoy what could be our most significant snowfall in nearly two years.
NBC Washington/Adam Tuss
A snowy scene outside the home of NBC Washington’s Adam Tuss.
NBC Washington
Trucks with plows prepare for significant snowfall in Leesburg, Virginia.
Getty Images
MYERSVILLE, MD – DECEMBER 14: A snowplow navigates down Rte 17 during a light snow on December 14, 2020 in Middletown, Md. (Photo by Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
(Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
A woman crosses a street as a snow storm develops in Washington, DC on December 16, 2020. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)
(Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
Mist is seen around the US Capitol as a snow storm develops in Washington, DC on December 16, 2020. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)
(Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC – DECEMBER 16: Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) walks outside in the snow at the U.S. Capitol on December 16, 2020 in Washington, DC. A major winter storm is expected to dump inches of snow and rain on the D.C. area on Wednesday as it blankets much of the eastern United States in wintery weather. (Photo by Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)
(Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
A man looks at his watch as he runs near the steps of the US Capitol as a snow storm develops in Washington, DC on December 16, 2020. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP)
Photographer: Oliver Contreras/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images
A mix of rain and snow falls outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020. Winter storm warnings stretch from North Carolina to Maine, affecting more than 51 million people. Photographer: Oliver Contreras/Sipa/Bloomberg via Getty Images
A winter weather advisory will be in effect until 1 a.m. Thursday in D.C. and parts of the region including Arlington, Fairfax, Prince William and Montgomery counties.
A winter storm warning is in effect until 4 a.m. Thursday in parts of Maryland and Virginia, including Winchester; Fauquier, Loudoun, Frederick, Washington and Rappahannock counties, and upper Montgomery County.
