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| East Coast braces for storm expected to result in major snowfall | East Coast braces for storm expected to result in major snowfall |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| The mayhem of winter weather seems all but certain to descend on the East Coast late this week with enough snow to disrupt virtually every means of transportation except the dog sled. | The mayhem of winter weather seems all but certain to descend on the East Coast late this week with enough snow to disrupt virtually every means of transportation except the dog sled. |
| Forecasts have raised worries that the storm could rival three of the biggest snowfalls to hit the Washington region in the past 20 years. | Forecasts have raised worries that the storm could rival three of the biggest snowfalls to hit the Washington region in the past 20 years. |
| A rare alignment of the computer models used to forecast weather systems says an abundance of snow will strike the Eastern states beginning Friday. That caused the National Weather Service to raise its winter-storm threat to its highest level, warning that there may be massive travel delays and encouraging people to plan ahead. | |
| The Post’s Capital Weather Gang, using words such as “paralyzing” and “historic,” says there is the potential for double-digit snowfall totals for the region Friday and Saturday. | |
| “We still have a couple of days until this storm hits, but there’s unusually high agreement among forecast models that it’s going to be a big one,” said Angela Fritz, a meteorologist with the Capital Weather Gang. “Trust me when I say that it never happens like this. We’re usually never this lucky to have three days to prepare.” | “We still have a couple of days until this storm hits, but there’s unusually high agreement among forecast models that it’s going to be a big one,” said Angela Fritz, a meteorologist with the Capital Weather Gang. “Trust me when I say that it never happens like this. We’re usually never this lucky to have three days to prepare.” |
| People with flexible schedules began rushing to fly or drive to their destinations before the arrival of a storm that could envelop the most populous region in the country in up to several feet of snow. Airlines cautioned passengers to check for flight delays or cancellations once the snow begins falling. | People with flexible schedules began rushing to fly or drive to their destinations before the arrival of a storm that could envelop the most populous region in the country in up to several feet of snow. Airlines cautioned passengers to check for flight delays or cancellations once the snow begins falling. |
| The operative terms in the nomenclature of bad winter weather this week will be “braced” (as in, got ready), “dumped” (now a virtual synonym for heavy snowfall) and “blast” (a term inevitably prefaced with “arctic”). | The operative terms in the nomenclature of bad winter weather this week will be “braced” (as in, got ready), “dumped” (now a virtual synonym for heavy snowfall) and “blast” (a term inevitably prefaced with “arctic”). |
| Throw in the possibility of high winds, and blizzard conditions could result. Just how much snow would fall in a storm anticipated to last into late Saturday was an open question Tuesday. | |
| [‘Textbook’ East Coast snowstorm could resemble all-time greats] | [‘Textbook’ East Coast snowstorm could resemble all-time greats] |
| The National Weather Service forecast said the coming weather could compare with three of the Washington region’s biggest storms in the past two decades — the blizzard in January 1996, the Presidents’ Day storm of February 2003 and the February 2010 dump that came to be known as Snowmageddon. | |
| The snow could fall from Richmond to Boston, but the path of the storm will dictate how much snowfall parts of each region receive. | The snow could fall from Richmond to Boston, but the path of the storm will dictate how much snowfall parts of each region receive. |
| For example, on Long Island,forecasters said that the farther north the storm tracks, the more likely that New York City’s bedroom communities would get less snow and more rain. Farther north, in Boston, the storm’s path was being watched to see whether it would slip past New England or hit the region head-on with snow. | |
| In the Washington region, the Post’s Capital Weather Gang said that snow seemed virtually certain and that there was a 50 percent chance that a foot would fall. There’s also a 15 percent chance of at least 20 inches, they said. | |
| “We still don’t know exactly how much snow will fall, but it’s looking like double-digit totals for much of the region,” Fritz said. “The northwest areas will get more snow simply because they tend to be colder at a higher elevation, and areas to the southeast may see sleet and rain mixing in at times. | “We still don’t know exactly how much snow will fall, but it’s looking like double-digit totals for much of the region,” Fritz said. “The northwest areas will get more snow simply because they tend to be colder at a higher elevation, and areas to the southeast may see sleet and rain mixing in at times. |
| “Something that’s really important to emphasize with this storm is that it looks like it’s going to last a while, starting as early as Friday morning and continuing through Saturday night,” Fritz said. | “Something that’s really important to emphasize with this storm is that it looks like it’s going to last a while, starting as early as Friday morning and continuing through Saturday night,” Fritz said. |
| [Looking back at 2010: The incredible output of Snowmageddon] | [Looking back at 2010: The incredible output of Snowmageddon] |
| The region’s transportation departments, which were closely watching the forecasts, urged motorists to be prepared. | The region’s transportation departments, which were closely watching the forecasts, urged motorists to be prepared. |
| “We will ask for drivers to plan ahead, prepare their homes and do errands now so that they do not have to be out, if at all possible, during the storm,” said Jennifer McCord, spokeswoman for the Virginia Department of Transportation. | |
| With winter making a late arrival in the East this season, state transportation authorities responsible for keeping roads open are fully stocked with the array of salt and briny solution they use to pretreat highways and melt snow and ice. | |
| “We are always ready for whatever comes our way,” said Charlie Gischlar, spokesman for the Maryland State Highway Administration. | “We are always ready for whatever comes our way,” said Charlie Gischlar, spokesman for the Maryland State Highway Administration. |
| Maryland has 380,000 tons of rock salt, 837,000 gallons of salt brine, 40,000 tons of abrasives (sand and crushed stone) and 100,000 gallons of magnesium chloride available for the winter season. The materials are stashed at locations across the state. In addition, there are up to 2,700 pieces of equipment available for the nearly 18,000 lane miles maintained by the state. | |
| “I know the models are beginning to suggest a pretty big storm. We will have a better idea of deployment times and if roads will be pretreated in advance of the storm,” Gischlar said. “If the pavement temperature is too cold, the material will freeze. If the storm is forecasted as beginning as a rainstorm, then we will not pretreat, as the material will simply wash off the street. | “I know the models are beginning to suggest a pretty big storm. We will have a better idea of deployment times and if roads will be pretreated in advance of the storm,” Gischlar said. “If the pavement temperature is too cold, the material will freeze. If the storm is forecasted as beginning as a rainstorm, then we will not pretreat, as the material will simply wash off the street. |
| “Crews will begin to load up the trucks this week, as well as making contact with our contractor forces,” he said. “That way, we are good to go well prior to the onset of a storm.” | |
| In Northern Virginia, state plows are responsible for clearing all roadways, not just those designated as state roadways. | In Northern Virginia, state plows are responsible for clearing all roadways, not just those designated as state roadways. |
| “For a storm of this size, we will deploy all of our resources available in Northern Virginia, about 3,600 pieces of equipment,” McCord said. “Trucks will stage throughout Northern Virginia — along interstates, major roads and in subdivisions — to be ready to begin clearing as soon as possible and to make repeated rounds throughout the storm given the totals currently forecasted.” | “For a storm of this size, we will deploy all of our resources available in Northern Virginia, about 3,600 pieces of equipment,” McCord said. “Trucks will stage throughout Northern Virginia — along interstates, major roads and in subdivisions — to be ready to begin clearing as soon as possible and to make repeated rounds throughout the storm given the totals currently forecasted.” |
| McCord said crews would report about 18 hours before the snow is expected to arrive. | McCord said crews would report about 18 hours before the snow is expected to arrive. |
| In the District, officials said they were tracking the storm. | In the District, officials said they were tracking the storm. |
| “The D.C. Snow Team is monitoring the weather reports very closely and will make public its deployment plan once there is more certainty about start time, duration and projected accumulation,” said Linda Grant, spokeswoman for the District Department of Public Works. | “The D.C. Snow Team is monitoring the weather reports very closely and will make public its deployment plan once there is more certainty about start time, duration and projected accumulation,” said Linda Grant, spokeswoman for the District Department of Public Works. |
| Other than after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the region’s three major airports rarely close. Dulles International Airport was closed by the February 2010 snowfall. | Other than after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the region’s three major airports rarely close. Dulles International Airport was closed by the February 2010 snowfall. |
| “We’re basically always open,” said Jonathan Dean, spokesman at Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport. “The BWI Marshall Airport snow team is prepared and will be in place this week, should the winter storm develop for our region, though the airlines may cancel some or even the majority of flights, depending on local weather conditions.” | “We’re basically always open,” said Jonathan Dean, spokesman at Baltimore-Washington International Marshall Airport. “The BWI Marshall Airport snow team is prepared and will be in place this week, should the winter storm develop for our region, though the airlines may cancel some or even the majority of flights, depending on local weather conditions.” |