{"id":427601,"date":"2025-12-06T00:23:23","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T00:23:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/427601\/"},"modified":"2025-12-06T00:23:23","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T00:23:23","slug":"freezing-fog-rain-may-coat-dc-region-in-ice-following-seasons-first-snowfall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/427601\/","title":{"rendered":"Freezing fog, rain may coat DC region in ice following season\u2019s first snowfall"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Much of D.C. region was coated in at least an inch of snow Friday morning, marking the first time the D.C. region has seen measurable snowfall in December since 2017.<\/p>\n<p>This page contains a video which is being blocked by your ad blocker.<br \/>In order to view the video you must disable your ad blocker.<\/p>\n<p>Snow it goes: DC region sees first snow of the season Friday<\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s a chance for more wintry weather Friday night, this time in the form of freezing fog and rain, following snowfall that blanketed the D.C. region earlier in the day.<\/p>\n<p>Much of the D.C. region was coated in about 1 to 3 inches of snowfall Friday morning, marking the first time the area has seen measurable snowfall in December since 2017.<\/p>\n<p>Outside the potential for freezing rain, drizzle and fog after dark, wet spots on the roadway from earlier snowfall could refreeze, according to the National Weather Service.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cNewly-issued winter weather advisories are not for additional snowfall tonight, but for the threat of freezing fog and mist overnight, coating the area in a thin layer of ice, leading to some reduced visibilities as well as some slick roadways,\u201d said 7News First Alert Meteorologist Mark Pe\u00f1a.<\/p>\n<p>He warned that driving conditions could be \u201creally treacherous\u201d overnight.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThankfully the fog mixes out by the mid-morning hours,\u201d Pe\u00f1a said of Saturday\u2019s forecast.<\/p>\n<p>The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory for the D.C. area beginning at 7 p.m. and continuing overnight until 1 a.m. Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>Temperatures are expected to stay in the 20s, so whatever snow is on the ground should stick around \u2014 and possibly refreeze \u2014 Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBe safe, drive slow and careful,\u201d said Warnique West, a snow coordinator with the D.C. Department of Public Works.<\/p>\n<p>How much snow actually fell?<\/p>\n<p>A surge of cold air overnight Thursday ushered in the first snow of the season early Friday morning \u2014 though winter doesn\u2019t technically start for two more weeks.<\/p>\n<p>Parts of the D.C. region saw as much as 3 inches of snow, while other areas had lower snowfall totals.<\/p>\n<p>Some unofficial snow totals from around the D.C. region, according to the National Weather Service:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>La Plata, Maryland, 3 inches, as of 2:30 p.m.<\/li>\n<li>Fair Oaks, Virginia, 2 inches, as of 12:49 p.m.<\/li>\n<li>Culpeper County, Virginia, 2 inches, as of 3 p.m.<\/li>\n<li>Catholic University in D.C., 1.8 inches, as of 2:14 p.m.<\/li>\n<li>Rosslyn, Virginia, 1.7 inches, as of 11 a.m.<\/li>\n<li>Gaithersburg, Maryland, 1.5 inches, as of 11:28 a.m.<\/li>\n<li>Aspen Hill, Maryland, 1.5 inches, as of 12:45 p.m.<\/li>\n<li>Upper Marlboro, Maryland, 1.4 inches, as of 2:30 p.m.<\/li>\n<li>American University in D.C., 1.1 inches, as of 11 a.m.<\/li>\n<li>Stafford, Virginia, 3 inches, as of 11:55 a.m.<\/li>\n<li>Reagan National Airport in Virginia, 1.1 inches, as of 10 a.m.<\/li>\n<li>Dulles International Airport in Virginia, 1.1 inches, as of 10:12 a.m.<\/li>\n<li>Laurel, Maryland, 1 inch, as of noon<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It was enough wintry weather to impact road conditions Friday and prompted many school systems to <a href=\"https:\/\/wtop.com\/closings-and-delays\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">delay or cancel classes<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The last measurable snowfall in D.C. in the month of December was back in 2017, with 2 inches at Reagan National Airport, according to 7News.<\/p>\n<p>                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/snow-roads-haymarket-2.jpg\" alt=\"A snow storm on Dec. 5, 2025, made for slick roads in Haymarket, Virginia.\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                              A snowstorm on Dec. 5, 2025, made for slick roads in Haymarket, Virginia.<br \/>\n(Courtesy WTOP listener)                            <\/p>\n<p>\n                                Courtesy WTOP listener                            <\/p>\n<p>                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/snow-roads-haymarket-1.jpg\" alt=\"Vehicles crashed on a snowy median in Haymarket, Virginia, on Dec. 5, 2025.\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                              Vehicles crashed on a snowy median in Haymarket, Virginia, on Dec. 5, 2025.<br \/>\n(Courtesy WTOP listener)                            <\/p>\n<p>\n                                Courtesy WTOP listener                            <\/p>\n<p>                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/snow-roads-haymarket.jpg\" alt=\"A car appears to be stopped on a snowy median, facing the wrong direction, in Haymarket, Virginia, on Dec. 5, 2025.\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                              A car appears to be stopped on a snowy median, facing the wrong direction, in Haymarket, Virginia, on Dec. 5, 2025.<br \/>\n(Courtesy WTOP listener)                            <\/p>\n<p>\n                                Courtesy WTOP listener                            <\/p>\n<p>                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_8521-1672x1254.jpeg\" alt=\"Snowfall in Montgomery County, Md.\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                              Snowfall accumulations in Montgomery County, Maryland.<br \/>\n(WTOP\/Gaby Arancibia)                            <\/p>\n<p>\n                                WTOP\/Gaby Arancibia                            <\/p>\n<p>                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1764938685222blob.png\" alt=\"Snowfall in Front Royal\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                              Snowfall continues to pack in Front Royal, Maryland, as the D.C. region sees its first snow appearance in December since 2017.<br \/>\n(WTOP\/Mike Stinneford)                            <\/p>\n<p>\n                                WTOP\/Mike Stinneford                            <\/p>\n<p>                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Image.jpg\" alt=\"Snow conditions in Bethesda\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                              Snow falls in Bethesda, Maryland, on Dec. 5, 2025.<br \/>\n(WTOP\/ Tadi Abedje)                            <\/p>\n<p>\n                                WTOP\/ Tadi Abedje                            <\/p>\n<p>                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/IMG_3299-941x1254.jpg\" alt=\"bus on I-270\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                              School bus pulled over on Interstate 270 as snow creates traffic jams on both sides of the highway.<br \/>\n(Courtesy Matt Mills)                            <\/p>\n<p>\n                                Courtesy Matt Mills                            <\/p>\n<p>                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Photo-Dec-05-2025-8-55-54-AM-1672x1254.jpg\" alt=\"Snow-covered planters\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                              Snow-covered planters in Bethesda, Maryland, on Dec. 5, 2025.<br \/>\n(WTOP\/Jessica Kronzer)                            <\/p>\n<p>\n                                WTOP\/Jessica Kronzer                            <\/p>\n<p>                                                    <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Photo-Dec-05-2025-8-56-34-AM-1672x1254.jpg\" alt=\"A tiered terrace covered in snow\"\/><\/p>\n<p>                              A tiered terrace in Bethesda, Maryland, covered in snow during the first snowfall in December in eight years.<br \/>\n(WTOP\/Jessica Kronzer)                            <\/p>\n<p>\n                                WTOP\/Jessica Kronzer                            <\/p>\n<p>\u2018Be safe, drive slow and careful\u2019<\/p>\n<p>Ahead of the storm, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser activated the District Snow Team, which began salting streets on major roadways Thursday night and continued Friday.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen you see us, give us space, right? Stay back at least 6 feet,\u201d said West with the D.C. Department of Public Works. \u201cGive the trucks room and time to spread the salt.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Otherwise, that salt just bounces off your car instead of fully coating the roadway, she said.<\/p>\n<p>West, a snow coordinator with the D.C. Department of Public Works, spoke with WTOP while snow was still falling.<\/p>\n<p>In Maryland, delays were reported Friday morning in both directions of Interstate 270, between Urbana and Rockville, in addition to several crashes, two of which were reported on local roads of the interstate.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith the snow in the area, you got to keep those speeds down,\u201d WTOP Traffic Reporter Reada Kessler said, adding the conditions of the morning commute were \u201call over the place.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In Virginia, where crashes were reported in Fairfax and Prince William counties, officials urged drivers to be cautious as they hit the roads.<\/p>\n<p>Alex Liggitt, communications manager with Virginia\u2019s Department of Transportation, told WTOP Friday morning that despite pretreatment efforts to major roadways ahead of the snowfall, \u201cthere are a fair number of roads out there that have become snow covered.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re still asking folks, if you don\u2019t need to be out there, just limit your time on the roads, if you can at all. Also drive for the conditions,\u201d he said Friday morning. \u201cWe notice a lot of people going just way too fast, even over the speed limit. We do not need that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In Virginia, drivers who spot icy roads are asked to report the condition through <a href=\"https:\/\/my.vdot.virginia.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">VDOT\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>D.C. residents can call 311 to report icy spots that could use salt, West said.<\/p>\n<p>Looking ahead<\/p>\n<p>According to the National Weather Service, the high pressure moving in will keep the weekend dry and seasonably cool.<\/p>\n<p>Liggitt said officials believe roads should resume normal conditions by Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>The sun makes a slight return come Saturday, although the day will be cold as temperatures start in the 20s and hit a high in the low 40s. Light winds are expected across the region.<\/p>\n<p>Another weather maker is expected to arrive Sunday night, bringing with it colder air.<\/p>\n<p><strong>FORECAST<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>FRIDAY EVENING: WINTER ALERT CONTINUES<\/strong><br \/>Cloudy. Risk freezing drizzle &amp; freezing fog<br \/><strong>Temps<\/strong>: 29-35<br \/><strong>Winds<\/strong>: Northeast 5 mph<\/p>\n<p><strong>FRIDAY NIGHT: WINTER ALERT<\/strong><br \/>Cloudy &amp; cold. Risk freezing drizzle &amp; freezing fog<br \/><strong>Lows<\/strong>: 25-30<br \/><strong>Winds<\/strong>: Light<\/p>\n<p><strong>SATURDAY<\/strong>:<br \/>Intervals of clouds &amp; sun<br \/><strong>Highs<\/strong>: 43-46<br \/><strong>Winds:<\/strong> West 5 mph<\/p>\n<p><strong>SUNDAY<\/strong>:<br \/>Mostly cloudy<br \/><strong>Highs<\/strong>: 42-46<br \/><strong>Winds<\/strong>: Southwest 5 mph<\/p>\n<p><strong>CURRENT CONDITIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>WTOP\u2019s Ciara Wells contributed to this report.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"single-page__signature bottom\">Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up <a href=\"https:\/\/wtop.com\/newsletter-signup\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p class=\"single-page__signature bottom\">\u00a9 2025 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Much of D.C. region was coated in at least an inch of snow Friday morning, marking the first&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":427602,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[198950,198951,51,50,71178,52,313,3159],"class_list":{"0":"post-427601","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"tag-dc-area-weather","9":"tag-dc-forecast","10":"tag-headlines","11":"tag-news","12":"tag-snow","13":"tag-top-stories","14":"tag-weather","15":"tag-winter"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115669777682864155","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/427601","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=427601"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/427601\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/427602"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=427601"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=427601"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=427601"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}