Thursday’s snow around the D.C. region will yield to steady winds and occasional gusts Friday that will drive temperatures way, way down this weekend, the National Weather Service said.
Most local areas were to see overnight lows of only 6 degrees Fahrenheit and high temperatures of 20 degrees, with a wind chill that could make it feel like minus 10 degrees.
“The cold wind chills will cause frostbite in as little as 30 minutes to exposed skin,” the Weather Service warned in an advisory to the District, Central Maryland and Northern Virginia.
Forecasters said Sunday’s high temperature might reach an almost balmy 26 degrees.
The so-called “bomb cyclone” that had brought record cold and snow to the South earlier in the week continued its run up the Eastern Seaboard on Thursday, causing car crashes and water main breaks around the region.
A DC Water spokesman said the utility had received 77 reports for everything from leaky pipes to broken water mains, adding that 18 of those reports were considered “high priority level” situations. And sub-zero wind chill on Friday would burst more pipes, he said.
“We’re bracing for more reports of frozen pipes tonight and tomorrow and temperatures dip even more,” the spokesman told The Washington Times.
Most local school systems canceled classes Thursday, and they will remain closed Friday.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser issued a Cold Emergency Plan for Thursday that provides free transportation to shelters for people experiencing homelessness, according to a shelter hotline worker.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency Wednesday to begin preparing for the foot of snow forecast for eastern Virginia. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency in Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties.
Snow and ice made road travel treacherous. Erin Henson, public affairs director for the Maryland Department of Transportation, told The Times that the agency had “been out in force all day across Maryland from our roads to our airports trying to keep the network moving.”
Meanwhile, Maryland State Police reported 114 car accidents Thursday, along with 233 disabled vehicles. Virginia State Police reported 356 traffic accidents and 409 disabled vehicles.
Because of the slippery road conditions, the Navy required only “mission essential” personnel in the region to report for duty, including those at the world’s largest naval base in Norfolk.
Regional airports are expected to resume normal service Friday after hundreds of flights to Northeast destinations like New York and Boston shutting down. The local airports were operating routinely due to crews that worked to deice planes and runways.
According to flight tracker website FlightAware, Baltimore Washington International-Thurgood Marshall Airport near Baltimore, Washington Dulles International Airport in Chantilly, Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington County and Norfolk International Airport delayed 219 flights and canceled 394 on Thursday.
The arctic air coming in during the weekend is not expected to affect local flights, but airports are telling passenger to contact their airlines for updated statuses.
• This article is based on wire service reports.
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