Weather
(Update) Vienna Weather: 2017 Snowstorm Live Feed
The latest on the weather forecast, road conditions and more after winter storm Stella blew through Vienna.
![](https://patch.com/img/cdn20/users/22839606/20170313/060452/styles/raw/public/article_images/snow-shovel_patch-1489442499-3955.jpg)
(Updated at 3 p.m. Tuesday) VIENNA, VA — Winter Storm Stella has passed through the Washington area, but we can still expect high winds, low temperatures, snow flurries and icy roads through Wednesday, according to media reports.
Vienna received 3.5 inches of snow, while McLean received 3 inches and Herndon, 2 inches, according to the National Weather Service. Statewide, snowfall totals ranged from 8.1 inches in Winchester to 1.7 inches at Reagan National Airport.
"Sustained winds of 20 to 35 mph are likely from the afternoon, through Tuesday night and throughout the daylight hours Wednesday," with wind chills in the teens, radio station WTOP reported.
Find out what's happening in Viennawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Snow flurries and snow showers are likely to continue Tuesday and again on Wednesday, WTOP reported. Temperatures will stay in the 30s in the afternoon, drop into the low-to-mid 20s by Wednesday morning and then only get into the low 30s Wednesday afternoon.
The National Weather Service said on Twitter that conditions were improving Tuesday.
Find out what's happening in Viennawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Weather conditions have started to improve across our area. Snow flurries possible for the rest of the day. #DCwx #MDwx #VAwx #WVwx pic.twitter.com/XgSmcca0OQ
— NWS DC/Baltimore (@NWS_BaltWash) March 14, 2017
As of 12:30 p.m., more than 64,500 power outages were reported throughout the Washington area, with 1,548 customers in the dark in Arlington County, WTOP reported. However, only 244 customers were without power in Fairfax County, and just one in Alexandria.
For tips and resources in case your power has gone out, see below.
On Local Roads
Most major roads in the area had been treated Monday night and plowed by Tuesday afternoon, WTOP reported. Traffic was light Tuesday morning, but as more drivers took to the road in the afternoon, numerous accidents occurred.
On the Beltway (I-495), WTOP reported that two accidents snarled traffic in the northbound lanes between Alexandria and Tysons Corner.
Gov. Terry McAuliffe's office said that Virginia State Police had responded to more than 150 traffic crashes and disabled vehicles statewide by 9 a.m. Tuesday. McAuliffe urged drivers to slow down and increase the following distance between vehicles to allow more time to react to changing road conditions.
With Tuesday night's low temperatures, the roads are expected to freeze over, causing problems for Wednesday morning's rush hour.
In Alexandria, crews continued to clear snow from streets, sidewalks and facilities, the city said on its website. As of Tuesday afternoon. "Treatment has been completed on primary routes and crews are working on secondary and intermediate routes."
Public schools in Fairfax County, Alexandria and Falls Church were closed on Tuesday, but government offices in all three localities were open, according to media reports.
The courts in Falls Church and Alexandria were closed Tuesday. In Fairfax County, the General District Court, Circuit Court and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court all opened on time.
We'll be keeping a live stream of updates on the weather -- and any changes to the forecast -- in this post throughout the day, so stay tuned. (For updates on the incoming storm and other local stories that affect you, subscribe to Patch's daily newsletter and breaking news alerts for your DC neighborhood.)
UPDATE 5:09 p.m. Monday: Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency Monday afternoon, urging Virginians to prepare for a major winter storm that could dump up to a foot or more of snow in northern regions of the Commonwealth.
“With this forecast in mind, all Virginians should take the necessary precautions now to ensure they are prepared for travel disruptions and possible power outages during a cold weather period,” he said.
UPDATE 4:22 p.m. Monday: The latest projection from the National Weather Service indicates that snowfall totals will be 4 to 6 inches in Washington, D.C. and points north and west of the city. In Prince George's County and southward, it will be in the 2 to 4 inches range.
And it's not just the snow -- it's going to be windy too, with gusts projected to be up to 30 to 40 miles per hour.
Here is the latest forecast of snow amounts across the region from 3pm Monday through 8pm Wednesday. pic.twitter.com/JCS0UNmzc9
— NWS DC/Baltimore (@NWS_BaltWash) March 13, 2017
The Capital Weather Gang posted a major update shortly before noon Monday to their forecast, and unfortunately, there's still not a whole lot of clarity on what we're going to get here in Vienna.
The D.C. area is teetering right on the edge of a lot of snow and almost no snow at all, according to the Capital Weather Gang: "Overnight, conditions will vary considerably over short distances. You may only have to travel 10 miles to go from 5-10 inches of snow to very little."
However, CWG thinks that on the whole, our likely snowfall totals are decreasing: "Inside the Beltway, 2-4 inches of snow and sleet is most likely, with amounts quickly increasing to the north and west, and decreasing to the south and east."
8 Ways to Prepare for the Forecasted Snowstorm https://t.co/uhByamsRmQ pic.twitter.com/m9OiQ0ZAad
— Fairfax County (@fairfaxcounty) March 13, 2017
Empty spreader bays = deployed trucks. Crews are making great progress in getting trucks out into their areas before the storm. pic.twitter.com/K2qTxshhOm
— VDOT Northern VA (@VaDOTNOVA) March 13, 2017
Here are some need-to-know tips and resources in case the power goes out in the storm.
Dominion Power:
- Report a power outage and check the status on an outage.
- Or call 866-366-4357.
- Northern Virginia outage map.
- Outage safety and preparations.
- Outage FAQ.
NOVEC:
Preparation Tips from Dominion Virginia Power and Ready.gov:
- Make a habit of keeping mobile phones and other portable devices charged.
- Keep stock of matches, candles, flashlights and batteries nearby.
- Bookmark our Website (www.dom.com) on your mobile devices so you can easily report and check the status of outages.
- Keep extra water and non-perishable foods on hand.
- If you have access to an OUTSIDE generator, have an electric cord long enough to keep the generator at least 20 feet from any door, window, or vent.
- Make specific plans for how you will avoid driving.
When the power goes out:
- Close off unused rooms to consolidate and retain heat.
- Wear layered clothing and use blankets or sleeping bags to stay warm.
- NEVER use generators, outdoor heating or cooking equipment, such as a grill, camp stove, or a gasoline or propane heater, indoors.
If your home loses power or heat for more than a few hours, you may want to go to a designated public shelter if you can get there safely. Text SHELTER + your ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA) to find the nearest shelter in your area (e.g., SHELTER 20472).
Image: Patch
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