Archive: Updates
Update: Pack the Umbrella, Watch for Lightning
*30-30 Rule: Seek shelter if the length of time between a lightning flash and its subsequent thunder is 30 seconds or less, and remain under cover until 30 minutes after the final clap of thunder. More lightning safety.* Wish I had better news, but don't kill the messenger, ok? Showers...
By Dan Stillman | July 4, 2008; 02:45 PM ET | Comments (16)
Update: Evening Showers and Storms
An area of showers and thunderstorms now approaching the far northern and western suburbs is on track to move through the metro area from west to east over the next few hours, likely impacting the close-in suburbs and downtown area during the 7:30-9:30 p.m. timeframe. Most activity should move off...
By Dan Stillman | June 28, 2008; 06:50 PM ET | Comments (31)
Update: Strong Storms Affecting Metro Area
Severe Thunderstorm Watch in Effect until 11 p.m. 10:30 p.m. update: The severe thunderstorm warning for the cell in Fairfax County has been discontinued as the storm has weakened. The storm will still continue tracking on a path through northwest D.C., Montgomery and northwest PG county in the next 45...
By Jason Samenow | June 22, 2008; 10:30 PM ET | Comments (34)
Update: Scattered Thunderstorms Develop
A few thunderstorms have formed in the region's southern suburbs. Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued around 8:05 p.m. in Fauquier and Prince William counties until 8:45 p.m. These storms are drifting to the northeast at about 10 mph and will likely impact many parts of the metro area between 8:30...
By Jason Samenow | June 21, 2008; 08:09 PM ET | Comments (16)
One Last Batch of Storminess
Actually, two batches. One tracking to the north of D.C., now moving from west to east through southern Montgomery County and into northern Prince Georges County, soon headed for the northern half of Anne Arundel county. Also, some diminishing showers and storms well to the north, tracking west to east...
By Dan Stillman | June 17, 2008; 12:10 AM ET | Comments (3)
Update: Not Totally in the Clear
Radar: Latest mid-Atlantic radar loop from the National Weather Service. Click here to expand. Refresh page to update. What is UTC? The Severe Thunderstorm Watch from earlier has expired but we may not be entirely out of the woods. Some strong storms are currently affecting West Virginia and a...
By Jason Samenow | June 16, 2008; 08:25 PM ET | Comments (8)
Update: Early P.M. Showers, Big Storms Later
Showers and storms that developed over West Virginia this morning are now affecting western Virginia. This activity should move into the western suburbs during the lunch hour and through the District and eastern suburbs during the early afternoon. These showers/storms are not severe at the moment, but briefly heavy rain...
By Capital Weather Gang | June 16, 2008; 11:45 AM ET | Comments (10)
Update: A Stormy Afternoon and Evening
ALERTS 6:30 PM: A second line of showers and storms is now heading into the western suburbs. These should move inside the beltway between 6:45 and 7:30 p.m. and pass through the eastern suburbs by 8:30 p.m. These storms will likely produce heavy rain and some gusty winds. The heaviest...
By Dan Stillman | June 14, 2008; 02:20 PM ET | Comments (40)
Update: Severe Storm Threat Fading
Severe thunderstorms passing through the area. Photographed from a 15th floor apartment in Adelphi, Md. looking south. By Capital Weather Gang visitor Andrew Blunck (from Flickr). The severe thunderstorm watch in effect for the metro area has been allowed to expire. Scattered thunderstorms may continue to affect the region through...
By Jason Samenow | June 10, 2008; 10:00 PM ET | Comments (5)
Update: Does Heat Wave End With a Bang?
If storms develop today, they could be strong or severe *Severe Thunderstorm Watch in effect until 10 p.m.* *Heat Advisory in effect through 8 p.m.* Current D.C. area temperatures, courtesy Weather Bonk. Map by Google. Refresh page to update. Hover over and click temperatures for more info. Click and hold...
By Dan Stillman | June 10, 2008; 12:40 PM ET | Comments (7)
Update: Not Out of the Woods Yet
Chance of storms continues overnight *Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1 a.m.* The latest round of storms has moved east and south of the metro area. Another batch of storms, which may or may not hold together, is coming from the west out of West Virginia, and other storms...
By Dan Stillman | June 4, 2008; 10:30 PM ET | Comments (7)
Update: Storm Threat Shifting South
*Tornado Watch lifted for immediate metro area* *New Tornado Watch in effect until 9 p.m. for southern suburbs (Prince William, Fauquier and Stafford counties) and central and southern Virginia.* A satellite image of the thunderstorm complex over the metro area (and several to the southwest) at 2:45 p.m. Courtesy NASA....
By Jason Samenow | May 31, 2008; 03:23 PM ET | Comments (30)
Update: Flood Watch Lifted
The main batch of rain has passed to the northeast. The rest of the day will be cloudy with a slight (one in three) chance of a few short-lived, widely scattered showers this afternoon. See Camden's full forecast for the outlook through the weekend....
By Jason Samenow | May 16, 2008; 10:05 AM ET | Comments (4)
Update: Rain Sets Up Shop for the Night
Scattered flooding problems possible *Flood Watch midnight through Friday morning* *Take caution in flood-prone areas; never drive through flooded roads* Radar: Latest mid-Atlantic radar loop from the National Weather Service. Click here to expand. Refresh page to update. What is UTC? Rain is now developing across the metro area and...
By Dan Stillman | May 15, 2008; 10:30 PM ET | Comments (1)
Update: Rain Gradually Pulling Out
*Flood warnings lifted except for Fairfax, Loudoun, Fauquier and Montgomery Counties* The final bands of rain are rotating through the region. Precipitation will end from southwest to northeast between 10 p.m. and midnight. Continue to exercise caution as some streams are still rising. Turn around, don't drown....
By Jason Samenow | May 12, 2008; 08:35 PM ET | Comments (10)
Update: Rain Pounding Region
*Flood warnings in effect area wide until 5:30 a.m. Monday morning* Midnight rain total update: 2.37" at Reagan National, 3.58" at Dulles Through 11pm, Reagan National had already received 1.92" of rain, with 3.22" at Dulles. Another 1-2" of rain may fall before this storm winds down tomorrow. Radar: Latest...
By Jason Samenow | May 11, 2008; 11:32 PM ET | Comments (11)
Update: Scattered Thunderstorms Possible
[6:25 p.m. -- The northern half of the line of storms that were developing earlier fell apart. The southern part of line slowed down a bit and will drift from Fairfax County into southern PG and Charles Co in the next hour. Scattered showers and storms remain a possibility area-wide...
By Jason Samenow | April 26, 2008; 03:27 PM ET | Comments (21)
Update: Late-Night Showers, Maybe Storms
*Severe Thunderstorm Watch in effect until 4 a.m. Thursday* *Wind Advisory in Effect Until 6 p.m. Thursday* After an evening lull in shower activity, a new line of showers is approaching the metro area from the west. Thunderstorms may form within this line of showers and other lines that may...
By Dan Stillman | March 19, 2008; 10:45 PM ET | Comments (10)
Update: A Rainy, Possibly Stormy Night
Localized flooding a concern; storms could be severe *Tornado Watch in effect until 3 a.m.* *Flood Watch in effect until 4 a.m.* After off-and-on showers during the early evening, with a few heavy downpours mixed in, a more solid batch of rain is enveloping the metro area from west to...
By Dan Stillman | March 4, 2008; 08:15 PM ET | Comments (47)
Update: Some Slick Spots, But No Hard Freeze
Ice coats a car this morning in Oakton, Va. By Capital Weather Gang photographer Kevin Ambrose. *A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect through 9am Saturday morning* A final little batch of showers is departing the area off to the northeast with temperatures at all three local airports above freezing....
By Dan Stillman | February 22, 2008; 07:25 PM ET | Comments (10)
Update: Icy Rain Down but not Out
A bit more ice possible; temperatures hover near freezing Latest mid-Atlantic winter weather radar loop, courtesy Intellicast. Blue is snow; pink is a mix of rain, freezing rain, sleet and/or snow; and green is rain. Note that parts of the leading edge of precipitation may be virga, precipitation in the...
By Jason Samenow | February 22, 2008; 03:30 PM ET | Comments (41)
Update: Live Chat at Noon
Winter Weather Advisory in effect until 10 p.m. tonight You've got questions? Hopefully, I've got answers. Join me for a live chat at noon. Feel free to bring questions about how much more ice and rain to expect, how the evening commute will be, why more snow didn't fall or...
By Jason Samenow | February 22, 2008; 10:15 AM ET | Comments (23)
Update: Slow Improvement Inside the Beltway
Subfreezing temperatures and ice remain N & W Winter Weather Advisory in effect until 10 p.m. tonight School Closings | Traffic Federal Government Status: Open under unscheduled leave policy After several hours of icing, many (but not all) areas inside the beltway are near freezing. The rise in temperature comes...
By Jason Samenow | February 22, 2008; 09:00 AM ET | Comments (37)
Update: Icy Mix Overtakes Region
Expect slick morning commute Winter Storm Warning in effect until 10 p.m. tonight School Closings | Traffic Federal Government Status: Open under unscheduled leave policy Light snow, which fell only in very small quantities (mainly less than half an inch) overnight, has changed over to freezing rain and sleet across...
By Jason Samenow | February 22, 2008; 05:15 AM ET | Comments (104)
Update: Snow Sliding North, Ice Still on Track
*Winter Storm Warning in effect until 10 p.m. Friday night* Throughout the day we've been monitoring the potential for an approaching winter storm to serve up an appetizer of light snow tonight, and a main course of freezing rain tomorrow. Tonight: The latest data shows the heaviest of tonight's snow...
By Dan Stillman | February 21, 2008; 06:15 PM ET | Comments (202)
Update: Light Snowfall Still On Track
Another storm could bring late-week wintry mix **Snow Advisory in effect for metro area from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. today** Snow is on schedule to move into the DC area from west to east during the next few hours, and is expected to continue through the afternoon, ending by...
By Matt Ross | February 20, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Comments (61)
Update: No Changes to Light Snow Forecast
We're still thinking light snow is likely tomorrow -- particularly between about 10am and 6pm in the metro area. Accumulations should generally be between a dusting and 1". Areas to the south of the beltway may get a little less, and areas to the north may get a little more....
By Jason Samenow | February 19, 2008; 10:58 PM ET | Comments (11)
Update: Winter Weather Advisory to the Southeast
Snow may only graze DC and north & west *Winter Weather Advisory in effect until 6am for Calvert and Charles counties and points south and east* Latest mid-Atlantic radar loop. Courtesy National Weather Service. As snow showers develop over parts of central Virginia, dry northwest winds are limiting the amount...
By Jason Samenow | February 13, 2008; 10:40 PM ET | Comments (12)
Update: Snow Showers Approaching Region
A mix of rain and snow showers is currently developing to the southwest. Over the next couple of hours, this precipitation will likely move into the metro area. The precipitation may briefly start as rain or a mix of rain, snow and sleet, but should change over to snow within...
By Jason Samenow | February 13, 2008; 09:00 PM ET | Comments (27)
Update: Temperatures Slowly Climbing
Rain to taper; could end as a bit of snow tonight **Ice Warning in effect north and west until 1 p.m.** Now: With the exception of parts of southern Maryland, moderate rain has continued through late morning across the metro area, with heavy rain falling now on the Eastern Shore....
By Capital Weather Gang | February 13, 2008; 11:45 AM ET | Comments (33)
Update: Icy Temperatures Slow to Budge
Freezing rain and rain overnight; more rain tomorrow **Ice Warning in effect area-wide until 7 a.m. Wednesday** After a horrific commute, both home and to polling stations, temperatures have risen a couple of degrees in some spots but have continued to hold at or below freezing throughout the metro area...
By Dan Stillman | February 12, 2008; 11:00 PM ET | Comments (35)
Update: Spotty Snow Now, Patchy Ice Later
*Winter Weather Advisory north of D.C. from noon to 10 p.m. today* *Vote early (but just once), especially in northern suburbs* Despite some intermittent light snow and flurries this morning, weather-related problems have been minimal in the metro area. At 11 a.m., temperatures ranged from the low to mid 20s...
By Capital Weather Gang | February 12, 2008; 11:40 AM ET | Comments (15)
Update: Shower Chances Increase Today
A band of rain showers is moving through the region, especially the southern suburbs. Here's part of a short term forecast recently issued by the National Weather Service: NUMEROUS SHOWERS WILL EXTEND FROM THE POTOMAC HIGHLANDS EAST THROUGH NORTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND WASHINGTON DC AND INTO CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN MARYLAND...
By Capital Weather Gang | February 4, 2008; 09:28 AM ET | Comments (2)
Update: Advisory Expires, Deluge Continues
The Winter Weather Advisory for the north and west suburbs has ended. The ice threat is over (except west of I-81 and in the sheltered valleys), but very heavy rain is now moving into the region with some embedded thunderstorms. Another 0.5-1" of rain is possible before it all tapers...
By Jason Samenow | February 1, 2008; 12:10 PM ET | Comments (30)
Update: Temperatures Rising Above Freezing
School delays/closings A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect until noon N & W of DC. However, all observing stations south and east of western Loudoun county and Frederick county indicate temperatures are above freezing. At 9am, the only official observing stations in the area still at or below freezing...
By Jason Samenow | February 1, 2008; 09:06 AM ET | Comments (20)
Update: Assessing Impacts of AM Ice
Some school delays possible **Winter Weather Advisory 2 a.m. to 12 p.m. Friday N & W of DC** Current DC area temperatures, courtesy Weather Bonk. Map by Google. Refresh page to update. Hover over and click temperatures for more info. Click and hold on map to pan. As a super...
By Jason Samenow | January 31, 2008; 07:41 PM ET | Comments (31)
