The major snow and ice storm that swept into Washington on Sunday morning provided outdoor fun for some but severe disruptions stretched into the night as ice accumulated in freezing temperatures.
Stores closed, bus service shut down early, and at least one hospital issued a call for volunteers to bring in staff if needed. The city’s state of emergency was extended, flights were canceled, and schools announced Monday closings.
Metro halted bus service on Sunday at 9:30 p. m. and will resume bus operations Monday at 6 a.m. Service will be limited but will increase gradually with improvement in road conditions. Rail service will begin at 6 a.m. Monday and operate on a Sunday schedule, Metro said.
Local officials reported no major incidents Sunday before the storm exited the region about 8:30 p.m. even as much of the South faced extensive power outages, downed trees, and icy roads. The Washington region’s airports canceled most of their flights Sunday.
On Sunday morning, dog owners decked their pups out in elaborate winter outfits and braved the freezing temperatures to play in the snow. Parents took their children to neighborhood parks to sled down snow-covered hills. A few dedicated runners and gym-goers refused to let the frozen streets get in the way of their scheduled workouts.
A woman was injured about 3:35 p.m. when her sled struck a tree near 22nd and P Streets NW, the D.C. fire department said.
Her injuries were reported as not life-threatening, but the weather and a steep slope prompted rescuers to haul her to safety using a rescue basket and ropes.
Many stores and restaurants were closed, and others shuttered early. The grocery chain Giant announced that stores in the region would close at 6 p.m. and reopen at 6 a.m. Monday, “given the extreme weather conditions, and out of concern for both our store associates’ and customers’ safety.” Websites for at least three Wegmans stores said they would be closed until 10 a.m. Monday. The stores said they would continue “to assess travel conditions and update accordingly.”
Virginia Hospital Center put out a call for volunteer drivers with four-wheel vehicles to help bring physicians and staff to the hospital if needed. Prospective drivers were asked to call the hospital at 703-558-5000.
As a result of Sunday’s cold temperatures, the snow was “not going anywhere,” D.C. Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) said, adding that “what we see now could freeze.”
In a message sent about 3:30 p.m., Bowser called on D.C. residents capable of doing so to “start clearing their own walkways and sidewalks.”
The winter storm packed a punch in the metro region, producing 3 to 7 inches of snow, 2 to 3 inches of sleet and, in some areas, a light glaze of freezing rain on top of that. Temperatures in the teens and 20s meant all of the frozen precipitation accumulated and the frozen mix consolidated into a dense, difficult-to-shovel mess.
There remains a chance that the buildup of freezing rain on trees and utility lines could lead to power outages, especially south and east of the Beltway. However, that risk had decreased somewhat because more of the precipitation had been falling as sleet, forecasters said.
After the storm, a historically prolonged period of frigid temperature is expected. For the next week, highs will average in the 20s with nighttime temperatures frequently plummeting into the teens and single digits. There’s little prospect of the snow and ice melting, meaning disruptions from this event will last much longer than the typical D.C.-area winter storm.
Whether the storm seemed to convert the area into a playground or a slippery hazard Sunday, it set precipitation records for the date at both Reagan National Airport and at Dulles International Airport.
At National, as of 8 p.m., the combination of at least 5.3 inches of snow, along with sleet and freezing rain, amounted to 2.06 inches of liquid precipitation. That easily broke the old record of 1.66 inches, set in 1978.
As of just before 8 p.m., light freezing rain was still falling at National, but there were signs that it was ending. Visibility had increased to eight miles, the most all day.
At Dulles, precipitation had stopped by 8 p.m., and skies were clear enough to increase visibility to nine miles, also the most of the day. Dulles measured at least 6.2 inches of snow.
Major school systemsacross the D.C. region will be closed Monday. Some districts, including Prince William County Public Schools, also called off previously scheduled professional development or other planned workdays for staff. Montgomery and Culpeper counties have already canceled school on Tuesday.
Several local government offices, including those in Fairfax, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, also will be closed Monday. Maryland state government offices and Virginia executive branch offices in and around Richmond will be closed as well.
The Office of Personnel Management also closed federal offices on Monday and directed employees to telework if possible.
Road conditions remained treacherous in both Maryland and Northern Virginia as the sleet continued into Sunday afternoon, according to state officials. But the region reported few major accidents as most people heeded warnings to stay home.
Besides a crash involving a tractor-trailer early Sunday morning in Oxon Hill, Maryland, there weren’t any serious car crashes in the state, according to Charlie Gischlar, deputy director of communications at the Maryland State Highway Administration.
Gischlar cautioned that the combination of sleet and freezing temperatures would make roads more dangerous throughout the evening.
“What we’re really concerned about is the refreeze,” Gischlar said.
There were similar concerns in Virginia, according to Alex Liggitt, the Northern Virginia communications manager at the Virginia Department of Transportation. Gischlar and Liggitt encouraged people to work from home Monday, if they can, as crews continue work to clear major roads.
Many local residents took their chance to enjoy the day before the storm turned icy.
Kyle Dimovitz, a 28-year-old international trade analyst, braved the elements to take his 5-year-old dog, Zoe, for a walk in D.C. The mini goldendoodle loves the snow, Dimovitz said. The only issue is that it takes a lot of time for Dimovitz to put her winter clothes on.
“It’s a three-part outfit,” Dimovitz said as Zoe pranced through the snow. “You’ve got to put her suspenders on, which cover her paws. Then you’ve got to put her sweater on, and then you’ve got to put her jacket on.”
Nearby, about 20 children and their parents had gathered at the Guy Mason playground in Glover Park to sled. Children’s laughter punctuated the silence.
Allana Bejarano, 47, waited at the bottom of the hill while her daughter, Kailea, sledded down it. “I can see as she’s coming down, she wants to control the sled, and I’m trying to have her understand that you’ve got to really just let go when you’re sledding,” Bejarano said.
The mother-daughter duo were having fun, but Bejarano said the snow had turned to sleet earlier than expected. “It’s definitely more wet. It’s not as pleasant standing here,” Bejarano said.
The sleet put a damper on some fun snow day plans. A massive snowball fight planned to take place on the National Mall was canceled as the initially fluffy snow turned into wetter, icier sleet.
“Due to sleet already falling, today’s snowball fight is sadly CANCELLED,” the Washington DC Snowball Fight Association said in a post on X.
The shift from snow to sleet also made the prospect of shoveling the snow a bit more daunting.
Ella Hallberg, a 21-year-old graduate student, tried to shovel the sidewalk around her house in Glover Park before the sleet made the snow heavier.
“I love it. I put my music on, and I’m just bumping to the music,” she said. Missy Elliott was the soundtrack for the shoveling, Hallberg said. “Get your freak on. Get the snow off.”
Rachel Hatzipanagos and Martin Weil contributed to this report.
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