Winter Weather Advisory Prompts Schools, Federal Offices to Close Early

Schools and federal offices are closing early today ahead of the first snow of 2020.

Fairfax County and surrounding areas are under a Winter Weather Advisory today (Tuesday) for 1-3 inches of snow. The advisory is set to last until 7 p.m.

More from NWS:

* WHEN…From noon to 7 PM EST Tuesday. The heaviest snow is expected between 2 PM and 6 PM.

* IMPACTS…Snow covered and slippery roads are expected. This will impact the evening commute.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Snow rates could exceed one inch per hour with visibility around one-quarter mile at times.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…

Slow down and use caution while traveling. When venturing outside, watch your first few steps taken on steps, sidewalks, and driveways, which could be icy and slippery, increasing your risk of a fall and injury.

With snow moving into the area now, here are the amounts you can expect (first image), and the high end amount (second image). Generally expecting 1"-3", with 3"-5" across the higher elevations. High end amounts could add an extra inch or 2 to these totals. pic.twitter.com/YrxWOPNxXA

— NWS DC/Baltimore (@NWS_BaltWash) January 7, 2020

Due to the expected snow, Fairfax County Public Schools will close two hours early today.

Federal offices will have early dismissal today.

For commuters, the Virginia Department of Transportation wants people to monitor weather conditions and beware of slick spots on roads.

“Crews have pre-treated trouble spots in higher elevations,” VDOT said in an email earlier today. “Drivers will begin to see trucks staging throughout the region this morning to prepare to plow and treat roads as needed.”

To accommodate more commuters leaving work early today, Metro tweeted plans to “ramp up service on bus and rail.”

Today's driving homework:
✔️Slow down and be patient
✔️Be on the lookout for school buses earlier than usual
✔️Watch for pedestrians
✔️Slow down and be patient pic.twitter.com/v4qIDfJsoU

— Fairfax County Government (@fairfaxcounty) January 7, 2020

We're currently working to ramp up service on bus and rail to support early dismissal of Federal workers throughout the DC area. Some bus routes that only run during rush hour will start early today. Follow @metrobusinfo and @metrorailinfo for additional info. #wmata

— Metro (@wmata) January 7, 2020

Photo by Jessica Fadel on Unsplash