A ‘bomb storm’ is expected to cause travel nightmares across the DC region before Christmas weekend

Washington – Winter officially begins for the Northern Hemisphere on Wednesday afternoon, and it’s about to start with a very chaotic forecast.

For the better part of a week, we’ve been tracking the potential for a major storm in the eastern half of the United States. While it once looked like big snow was likely for major cities along the I-95 corridor, weather models have changed that narrative from snow and wintry weather to greater impacts in the upper Midwest and Great Lakes.

That doesn’t mean our local region will be immune to all impacts, as some of the steeply dipping temperatures and strong winds could all cause travel disruptions across much of our region.

Impact #1: Snow, ice and rain

The first concern to watch is how early Thursday morning the moisture starts to push through. The sooner it gets here, the more likely we’ll be dealing with the same issues in terms of snow as we talked about last Thursday and possibly some of the snow issues in our region.

Now, just because of the behavior we call Blowing cold air Incidentally, the North West zones will be the most affected by this weather. So for those hitting the roads Thursday morning, if you’re traveling along the I-81, I-70, or I-70 corridors, be aware that there may be some snow and ice problems in those regions. Winter storm watches were actually put in place for the mountain areas earlier this afternoon ahead of the storm.

As we head into and past lunchtime, cooler air will move in, and the region will see older rain threats, albeit mainly during the evening hours. But traveling on the road will be safer during the evening hours as opposed to the morning hours.

For the immediate DC area, the best chance to see any wintry weather will be on the backside of this system Friday morning through Friday afternoon.

While it’s unlikely to be anything significant, some weather models have suggested we could see a brief burst of snow as a strong strengthening cold front crosses our region. I will say, weather models can sometimes overestimate this, because often the mountain ranges to the west delay the onset of cold air, the cold air is heavier and it takes some more time to cross the mountains. In this case, however, the strength and depth of the resulting cold water pool is excessive.

There’s a legitimate chance we could see a touch of ice on the back end of the system. Although it does not come with a set. The winds of virtual security on this front porch start to get incredibly annoying…

Effect #2: Gusty wind

A “bombstorm” that we’ve become more accustomed to in recent years, thanks to social media, is simply a rapidly intensifying storm system.

Although more common over water than land, this weekend’s storm is expected to be classified as a bomb storm because the center of the storm is quickly losing pressure. This has an amazing wind energy release effect. Yes, snowfall and storms in parts of the upper Midwest will exacerbate some delays, while wind strength will exacerbate delays in the Midwest, Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.

Especially for those who plan to hit the skies on the last two days of the work week. Winds in parts of the Midwest could gust over 60 mph, and the threat of road closures could be due to the wind alone.

Locally, winds could reach 40-45 mph around the D.C. region Friday afternoon, with isolated regions near 50 mph and the mountain ranges to the west could exceed 60 mph at times. Please be aware of travel delays due to wind and check your flight times in advance.

Also watch out for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which is prone to closing in high winds.

Effect #3: Dangerous Flash Freeze

Perhaps the most important effect of this system for the weekend is the effect on temperature. Some very cold air is forecast to come down the other side of this system, which we expect to experience to the fullest this winter.

Sub-zero temperatures are forecast for parts of the Plains, and cold air will extend into the eastern half of the country and send DC temperatures inland. Young people Saturday at sunrise.

The biggest threat, and one that can make travel delays even worse in our region, is what we call flash freezes. At this point, the wet surface doesn’t have enough time to dry before the humidity drops below freezing, in which case it can quickly reach the 20s, and this can cause wet surfaces to quickly turn to ice. Please take extra care if you plan to travel on Friday afternoon and evening.

Flash snows are nearly impossible to treat, as rain will initially wash away any pretreatment. Not only in our region, but in most parts of the northeast, black snow will be a big danger on the roads at night, and in many places the temperature will drop to the minors.

Impact #4: Christmas chill

This major storm resulted in one of the coldest Christmases the DC region has ever seen. Decades. The District of Columbia hasn’t had a Christmas where the temperature hasn’t broken 30° since 2000. Low temperatures may be the coldest in some areas during the holiday season in more than 30 years, dating back to the extreme Christmas of 1989.

The good news is that skies should be mostly sunny, although a strong storm moving north of the Great Lakes will occasionally bring some cloud cover and maybe a stray snow or two, making Saturday afternoon a big chance.

A steady gust of wind on Christmas Eve will send those wind chills to downright bone-chilling levels. It’s not often we see wind chills below zero in Washington, but this is a potential early Saturday morning.

Cold will be dangerous during the holidays in the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest, with wind chills of (-20°) to (-40°) possible over the holiday weekend. Winds should ease a bit on Sunday, but for those heading to morning services on Christmas morning, expect temperatures to “feel” in the low-teens to start Christmas morning.

Hopefully Santa will bring some extra layers! Please check on your neighbors, the elderly, and be aware of the dangers of heat on pets. Allowing pets outdoors to enjoy the holiday warmth with the family can be a great holiday.

look forward

As we look past the Christmas holiday weekend, cooler temperatures will slowly fade over the next week. Although Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday will see high temperatures climb out of the 30s. During the Tuesday-Wednesday time frame, several weather models are predicting a chance of snow or rain.

For those unprepared for this early winter cold, we have good news. Temperatures are expected to remain high until the New Year’s holiday weekend. Despite the long-range forecast, the current model forecast for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are both between 55-60°.

There is some hope for better weather in 2023… unless you’re a snow lover! Stay warm, stay safe and stay tuned for more updates throughout the week!