Table of Contents
A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for the Arlington/Falls Church/Alexandria area tonight as city crews pre-treat roads ahead of a wintry mix forecast to develop Monday afternoon, with a dramatic warm-up expected to take hold later in the week.
The National Weather Service's Baltimore/Washington forecast office issued the advisory, which runs through 10 a.m. Tuesday, covering Fairfax, southeast Prince William, southeast Montgomery, and southeast Howard counties, in addition to the Alexandria area.
Snow is likely to develop after 2 p.m. Monday, with temperatures reaching a high near 38 degrees and northeast winds of 6 to 8 mph. Less than a half-inch of daytime accumulation is possible. Conditions are expected to worsen overnight, when rain mixed with snow and patchy fog near 11 p.m. push precipitation chances to 80%, with temperatures dropping to around 32 degrees.
The city's Transportation and Environmental Services department said crews are prioritizing hills, bridges and overpasses — areas most susceptible to icy conditions — as part of its response.
"As conditions evolve, the City of Alexandria is monitoring forecasts and preparing equipment to treat high-priority roads if conditions require," the city said in a release issued Sunday.
The wintry conditions are expected to be short-lived. Rain will continue through much of Tuesday, with a high near 48 degrees, before temperatures climb significantly by midweek. Alexandria could see highs near 66 degrees on Wednesday and approach 76 degrees by Thursday — a swing of nearly 40 degrees from Monday's high in just three days.
Highs in the mid-to-upper 70s are forecast through the weekend, though scattered rain chances persist each day.
City officials are asking residents to give snow and brine trucks extra space on the road, clear debris from storm drains to prevent ice buildup, and apply road salt sparingly. The city notes that one 12-ounce cup of salt covers 10 sidewalk squares or 500 square feet of driveway, and that waiting until just before precipitation arrives helps reduce harmful salt runoff.
Residents can sign up for service delay notifications and weather updates through the city's eNews alert system and official social media channels.
