Fairfax County and surrounding areas will be under a Flood Watch and a Wind Advisory on Thursday, as heavy rain and strong winds rake across the region.

About 1-2 inches of rain is expected to fall starting tonight through midday Thursday, potentially causing flooding in low-lying areas and along streams and creeks.

More from the National Weather Service:

…FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT… * FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON * RAIN WILL OVERSPREAD THE AREA THIS EVENING AND OVERNIGHT. THE HEAVIEST RAIN IS EXPECTED OVERNIGHT AND THURSDAY MORNING. TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS AROUND 1 INCH ARE EXPECTED, WITH ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS OF 1.5 TO 2 INCHES POSSIBLE. * EXCESS RUNOFF FROM A NEARLY FROZEN GROUND AND SATURATED SOILS WILL CAUSE THE POTENTIAL FOR STREAMS AND CREEKS TO RISE OUT OF THEIR BANKS AS WELL AS POTENTIAL FLOODING IN LOW LYING URBAN AREAS. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A FLOOD WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR FLOODING BASED ON CURRENT FORECASTS. YOU SHOULD MONITOR LATER FORECASTS AND BE ALERT FOR POSSIBLE FLOOD WARNINGS. THOSE LIVING IN AREAS PRONE TO FLOODING SHOULD BE PREPARED TO TAKE ACTION SHOULD FLOODING DEVELOP. &&

In addition to the rain, damaging winds are possible.

…WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO NOON EST THURSDAY… THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A WIND ADVISORY, WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO NOON EST THURSDAY. * TIMING…THURSDAY MORNING. * WINDS…SOUTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH. * IMPACTS…GUSTY WINDS WILL BLOW AROUND UNSECURED OBJECTS. TREE LIMBS COULD BE BLOWN DOWN AND A FEW POWER OUTAGES MAY RESULT. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH ARE EXPECTED. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. &&

More via Twitter:

Both flood watch and wind advisory in effect for DMV Thursday morning. Over an inch of rain possible, and wind gusts to 40 to 50 mph as strong cold front sweeps through. More info: https://t.co/zDJoNCDXkq pic.twitter.com/ZTVbjaHKoj

— Capital Weather Gang (@capitalweather) January 23, 2019

Wind Advisory (brown) for the DC/Baltimore Metro areas & S MD from 6 AM-Noon tomorrow. Wind Advisories/High Wind Warnings along the Blue Ridge/Allegheny Front are currently in effect and go through 6 AM Thursday. 50+ MPH gusts, scattered tree damage and power outages possible. pic.twitter.com/vjMWH7SM9R

— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) January 23, 2019

Photo (top) via National Weather Service

Another Tysons Firm Moving to Boro — “Alion Science and Technology Corp. is leaving one Tysons tower for another. The engineering firm, headquartered at Lerner Enterprises’ 1750 Tysons Blvd., has agreed to lease 16,000 square feet at Boro Tower… Alion will join KPMG LLP (roughly 168,000 square feet), Tegna Inc. (46,000 square feet), Hogan Lovells (44,500 square feet), and Womble Bond Dickinson (24,239 square feet).” [Washington Business Journal]

Weather Delays Silver Line Repairs — “Promised sealant for problem concrete panels at Silver Line stations due to open next year is on hold. The sealant is intended to prevent the panels, which were revealed last year to have an incorrect mix that could create problems, from deteriorating over coming decades.” [WTOP]

Tysons Development Quiz — “How much do you know about construction, leasing and development activity in Tysons? Take this quiz to test your knowledge.” [Bisnow]

Hunter Mill District Races — Two candidates are running for the Hunter Mill District seat on the Fairfax County School Board, which is being vacated by incumbent Pat Hynes. Meanwhile, long-time Hunter Mill District Supervisor Cathy Hudgins announced yesterday that she will retire after her term ends. [Reston Now, Reston Now]

Reminder: Drone Meeting Tonight — A meeting to discuss a comprehensive plan for Fairfax County’s use of drones, particularly for public safety, will take place tonight at the McLean District Governmental Center. [Tysons Reporter]

This past New Year’s Day brought new resolutions — and, in Virginia, new state vehicle inspection stickers.

The new stickers were first issued by inspection stations at the beginning of January, according to Virginia State Police.

The stickers are smaller, in response to complaints that the new sticker placement on the bottom left of the windshield, which started in 2018, resulted in reduced visibility for drivers. The stickers also come on a backing that reminds drivers to move over for emergency vehicles stopped along the side of the road.

More from a VSP press release:

The Virginia State Police Safety Division is rolling out a newly-designed vehicle safety approval inspection sticker that now includes a traffic safety message. Effective Jan. 1, 2019, all certified Virginia inspection stations began issuing the sticker which has been reduced from 2.75 inches in height to 2 inches and from 4 inches in length to 3 inches. The year of expiration is now permanently affixed to the right side of the sticker, with the only insert being the month of expiration. Even though the overall size has been reduced, the month has been enlarged to provide better visibility.

“The change in size is in response to the feedback State Police received from Virginians following the sticker’s relocation to the bottom left corner of the windshield in 2018,” said Captain R.C. Maxey Jr., Virginia State Police Safety Division Commander. “We heard from a number of motorists who had difficulty seeing around the sticker, so we worked to reduce its size to slightly smaller than the average credit card.”

The sticker’s security features have also been enhanced in order to discourage and prevent unauthorized removal, tampering and counterfeit practices. The changes in size and design do not apply to motorcycle or trailer safety inspection stickers. Vehicle rejection stickers also remain unchanged.

Another new feature of the inspection sticker enables State Police to reach an estimated 8.2 million motorists annually with a reminder about Virginia’s “Move Over” law. This portion of the sticker is not for display on the front windshield. Instead, it is detached by the inspector and provided to the customer. Virginia’s “Move Over” law requires motorists to move over a lane when approaching an emergency vehicle stopped alongside the road. If unable to move over, then drivers are required to cautiously pass the emergency vehicle. The law applies to all vehicles equipped with red, blue and amber lights.

The placement of the sticker was changed in 2018 from the center of the windshield to the bottom, left corner due to safety concerns related to automotive innovations in recent years. The center placement of the sticker could prevent a vehicle’s crash avoidance system from operating properly.

Fairfax County Public Schools will open two hours late on Tuesday.

The closure is “due to the very cold weather.” Temperatures may dip into the single digits in parts of the county overnight.

School offices and central offices will open on time, FCPS said.

Due to the very cold weather, all Fairfax County public schools will open two hours late tomorrow, Jan. 22, 2019 (Condition 3B). School offices and central offices will open on time. https://t.co/zNBBMjWGwr

— Fairfax Schools 🌟 (@fcpsnews) January 21, 2019

Tonight, temperatures will drop down into the single digits and low teens. Remember to bundle up in layers to protect yourself from the frigid conditions. pic.twitter.com/jzqhrYvkXa

— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) January 22, 2019

Nearly 1,500 Dominion customers are without power this afternoon in McLean and far northern Arlington.

The outages are centered around the Ingleside, Chesterbrook Woods and Chain Bridge Forest neighborhoods.

Strong winds have brought down branches and utility lines throughout the D.C. area Sunday. A Wind Advisory is in effect through Sunday night.

…WIND ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 7 PM EST THIS EVENING… * TIMING…THROUGH THIS EVENING. * WINDS…NORTHWEST 20 TO 30 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 50 MPH. * IMPACTS…STRONG WINDS MAY BLOW DOWN LIMBS, TREES, AND POWER LINES. SCATTERED POWER OUTAGES ARE EXPECTED. PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS… A WIND ADVISORY MEANS THAT WINDS OF 45 TO 55 MPH ARE EXPECTED. WINDS THIS STRONG CAN MAKE DRIVING DIFFICULT, ESPECIALLY FOR HIGH PROFILE VEHICLES. &&

WIND ADVISORY issued for Sunday. Winds will become northwest and increase to 45-50 mph in gusts. Localized tree damage/power outages may result. Also, it may be difficult to drive high-profile vehicles. Lightweight objects outdoors should be secured. pic.twitter.com/JUA4N4zbh1

— NWS Baltimore-Washington (@NWS_BaltWash) January 19, 2019

Someone found a box full of money in Vienna’s Northside Park this week, according to police.

The find was reported to the Vienna Police Department around 5 p.m. Tuesday. There’s no word on how much money was found or what it was doing in the park, which sits along the W&OD Trail.

Also in the latest Vienna police highlights, a pedestrian was reportedly struck by a snow plow Sunday morning.

359 Block Maple Avenue, East 19-000516 January 13 6:50 a.m. Vehicle-1 (a pickup truck with a snow plow) was plowing the parking lot. Pedestrian-1 was walking across the parking lot and was struck by Vehicle-1 as he was backing up. Pedestrian-1 suffered minor injuries

Last Friday, a Vienna woman reported being harassed by a man she met online.

A resident began corresponding with a man over social media. After the two met in person, the man expressed interest in the resident and began continuously harassing her when she declined his advances. On January 11 the woman found an envelope in her mailbox that contained innocent photos of her taken from social media along with sexually explicit photos of an unknown person.

Map via Google Maps

A credit card fraud suspect led police on an extended foot pursuit through Tysons last night — during which he tried to open the doors of cars stopped in evening rush hour traffic.

The incident happened around 6 p.m., when police responded to the Bloomingdales at Tysons Corner Center for a report of two men fraudulently using credit cards.

“When officers tried to stop the suspects, one was arrested while the other ran away, leading officers on a 30-minute foot pursuit,” Fairfax County Police said in a crime report. “During the pursuit, the suspect was trying to open doors of cars that were stopped in traffic. One of the drivers called in the man’s suspicious behavior. Officers quickly responded to the area and caught James Lambert, 24, of New York.”

“Lambert and Darren Saunders, 23, of New York, were charged with credit card fraud,” police said.

Photo via FCPD

Tysons Gymboree Expected to Close — “Children’s clothing retailer Gymboree Group Inc. is expected to seek bankruptcy protection this week, with plans to close all 900 of its stores, according to people familiar with the matter.” The company has a Gymboree location at the Tysons Corner Center mall. [Wall Street Journal]

Black Ice Warning This Morning — From Fairfax County Fire and Rescue: “Be careful walking out your front door as well. Please also walk with caution on sidewalks and parking lots.” [Twitter]

Cybersecurity CEO Gives Up Salary — Moe Jafari, the CEO of Tysons-based cybersecurity company and government contractor Human Touch, has given up his salary to save money during the government shutdown. [WUSA 9]

‘Historic’ Tysons Apple Store May Move — “When Apple opened its first two retail spaces just hours apart at Tysons Corner Center and Glendale Galleria on May 19, 2001, nobody predicted the cultural impact and broad success Apple stores would have across the world. Now, that same success may cause Apple to leave the space that sparked a revolution in retail.” [9to5Mac]

New Tysons Chamber Chair Focusing on Growth — “‘When I look around Tysons, I can’t help but notice that we have one of the biggest darned fishing poles in the state of Virginia,’ he said. ‘There’s a lot of opportunity out there. All you have to do is look out these windows and see the construction, traffic and development.'” [InsideNova]

County Grappling with Government Shutdown — “One couple that contacted [Rep. Jennifer] Wexton had to return Christmas presents. Since they work for the same federal agency and are now both furloughed, they are now worried that they will not be able to pay their mortgage or the cost of their son’s preschool.” [Fairfax Times]

Vienna Council Squabbles Over Proclamations — “The Vienna Town Council on Jan. 7 approved, if a tad irritably, approved a pair of proclamations regarding social issues beyond its usual scope of duties… Council member Carey Sienicki, while not disputing the Council’s good intentions in signing off on the proclamations, wondered if those actions weren’t a little far afield.” [InsideNova]

Hedge Fund Gunning for Gannett — Tysons-based newspaper giant Gannett is considering a takeover offer from “a hedge-fund-backed media group known for buying up struggling local papers and cutting costs.” [Wall Street Journal]

Fairfax County government offices are opening at 10 a.m. today as VDOT crews continue to work to clear roads around Northern Virginia.

Most highways and main routes around Tysons appear to be clear. VDOT says it is working to clear neighborhood streets, some of which remain snow-covered.

“We’re focusing on neighborhood streets today,” the agency said on Twitter. “If you haven’t seen us yet, don’t worry, you will. If you’re clearing your driveway today, please pile snow to the right or it may get pushed back. No one wants to shovel a driveway twice.”

County courts opened on time today and trash collection started after daybreak, according to Fairfax County. Vacuum leaf collection has been suspended. Fairfax Connector service is operating on a Saturday schedule, with some delays expected.

Fairfax County Public Schools, meanwhile, are closed today, as is the federal government.

Officials are urging residents to completely clear snow from their cars before driving and to be careful on the roads.

You cleared your sidewalk and your driveway of #snow. How about your vehicle? Before you head out in your vehicle PLEASE remember to clear snow from it! Especially the roof! Not doing so could prove dangerous to others on the roads. #FCFRD #traffic #vatraffic #fairfaxcounty pic.twitter.com/kzdN7p8rji

— Fairfax County Fire/Rescue (@ffxfirerescue) January 14, 2019

We're responding to weather related events as road conditions continue to deteriorate causing hazardous conditions. Please stay home and off of the roads. Expect delays on your commute in the morning. Tips for driving in #inclementweather visit this link: https://t.co/9Z6upYu13a pic.twitter.com/DWtXvihCHa

— Fairfax County Police (@FairfaxCountyPD) January 14, 2019