First Snow of 2014: Latest McLean Forecast, Closing and Outage Information

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Shortly after midnight, Fairfax County Public Schools announced all activities, such as extracurricular activities or team practices, would be canceled on Friday, Jan. 4. 

Update (10:46 p.m.): Total nighttime snow accumulation in McLean could be as much as 3 inches, according to the latest forecast from the National Weather Service.

Wind gusts could be 41 mph into the night, and Friday morning's windchill is pegged right at zero. Friday wind gusts could top out at 46 mph.

Update (10:20 p.m.): The federal government will be open Friday, according to the Office of Personnel Management. Federal employees have the option of using unscheduled leave or unscheduled telework.

Update (8:19 p.m.): The National Weather Service shortly after 8 p.m. Thursday expanded its winter weather advisory to include Fairfax County and Washington.

The advisory remains in effect until 6 a.m. Friday. It calls for snow accumulation of up to 1 inch.

Snow is expected to fall into Thursday night and taper off in the early morning hours Friday, according to the advisory. Temperatures should be in the mid-20s, but the windchill in some areas could make it feel like only 5 degrees.

Hazardous travel conditions should be expected into the night, according to the advisory.

Original article: Light snow reportedly began falling on parts of the greater Washington region by mid-afternoon Thursday as McLean and the rest of Northern Virginia braced for a winter storm that could bring dangerously low temperatures and equally dangerous winds.

If the storm causes any Fairfax County closures, the county will announce them on its emergency information blog, Facebook page and Twitter account. 

To report an outage to Dominion Virginia Power or check the status of an outage, click here or call 866-DOM-HELP (866-366-4357).

Thursday afternoon, the Virginia Department of Transportation began preparing for the worst, though it remained difficult to tell if any snow would actually accumulate.

By 7 p.m. Thursday, VDOT will have more than 1,250 trucks working to treat snow and ice on roads in Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William counties.

“The major concern is overnight icing on bridge decks and roadways,” Branco Vlacich, VDOT’s district maintenance engineer for northern Virginia, said in a statement. “Be aware of black ice (Friday) morning — pavement temperatures will drop quickly tonight and remain well below freezing Friday.”

The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for the entire Washington-Baltimore region, including a large chunk of north-central Virginia that extends down to Charlottesville.

The advisory will be in effect from 2 a.m. to noon Friday. Expect sustained winds between 20 and 30 mph, with gusts in some areas up to 50 mph, the advisory states.

The high winds can down tree limbs and power lines and cause difficulty driving, according to the National Weather Service. The service recommends securing outdoor furniture.

Rain and snow are expected to fall on McLean on Thursday night, becoming all snow after 2 a.m., according to the latest forecast. The low should be around 18 degrees.