Winter Storm Octavia: What's to Come?

For all of you snow lovers, what media and meteorologists are calling the largest snow storm so far this year is finally here! Snow is falling and will continue to descend into early Tuesday morning. We will be watching for significant snow accumulation around our area. Due to well below freezing temperatures, all falling precipitation will be in the form of snow. Currently, temperatures throughout the region are in the teens. This is the first major snow storm for the Washington D.C. region in 2015.

Courtesy of ABC7

If you take a look outside your window, you can see snow has already accumulated. With the combination of frigid temperatures and light, fluffy snowflakes, everything that falls will stick and accumulate. For the kids and avid snow lovers, this snow will not be good snowball snow. We expect our heaviest snow to appear between 10-11pm. By 6am Tuesday, we will see the system lift out of the region. Sunshine should return to by midday.

Courtesy of Weatherbell.com

An interesting aspect of the storm is that it is a southern snow storm. Most of our blizzards come up and move along the east coast, but this system originated out of the deep south. Thus, snowfall totals will decrease as you move north. Projected snow totals for Fairfax county and inside the Capital beltway are between 5-8 inches. To the south around Fredericksburg, totals are much higher--anywhere between 7-10 inches are expected. To the north near Winchester, snow fall totals are lower--only 3-5 inches. Overnight during the heaviest snowfall, winds will remain calm suggesting that power outrages will not be a problem. However, even with low wind speeds snow can blow around, especially on the roads, and can possibly impact visibility. Also, keep in mind the snow is fluffy, however after consistently driving over the snow it will begin to pack down and freeze making roadways slick.

Courtesy of ABC7

Like much of the state of Virginia, currently Fairfax County is under a Winter Storm Warning. The majority of Virginia and parts of southern Maryland, West Virginia, and Delaware are under a Winter Storm Warning. North of the Winter Storm Warnings, we can find regions under a Winter Weather Advisory. These warnings and advisories should be taken seriously. Winter Storm Octavia has already made big impacts throughout the Mid-Atlantic and the deep south.



Octavia's Big Impacts

Courtesy of the Weather Channel

This is the same storm that dropped large amounts (6-9inches) of snow over parts of Kentucky. Winter Storm Octavia was declared the most significant ice storm that Nashville has seen in the past 20 years. In North Carolina, cities including Charlotte and Raleigh are dealing with ice and sleet. Octavia has caused the states of Mississippi, Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Virginia to declare a state of emergency.



With this much talk about significant snow fall totals, there is usually one question still on everyone's minds… Will I have school tomorrow? We'll give you updated information as we receive it!

Virginia
Alexandria City Schools: Closed Tuesday
Arlington Co: Closed Tuesday
Clarke Co: Closed Tuesday
Colonial Beach Public Schools: Closed Tuesday
Fairfax Co: Closed Tuesday
Falls Church City Schools: Closed Tuesday
Fauquier Co: Closed Tuesday
Frederick Co: Closed Tuesday
Fredericksburg City Schools: Closed Tuesday
King George Co: Closed Tuesday
Loudoun Co: Closed Tuesday
Madison Co: Closed Tuesday
Manassas City PC: Closed Tuesday
Manassas Park City Schools: Closed Tuesday
Orange Co: Closed Tuesday
Prince William Co: Closed Tuesday
Rappahannock Co: Closed Tuesday
Shenandoah Co: Closed Tuesday
Spotsylvania Co: Closed Tuesday
Spring "N" Dale Private School: Closed Tuesday
Stafford Co: Closed Tuesday
Warren Co: Closed Tuesday
Winchester Schools: Closed Tuesday

D.C
AppleTree Early Learning Public Charter School: Closed Tuesday
Basis DC PCS: Closed Tuesday
Cedar Tree Academy PCS: Closed Tuesday 
Centronia-DC Bilingual PCS: Closed Tuesday
Community Academy Public Charter Schools: Closed Tuesday
DC Public Schools: Closed Tuesday
DC Scholars Public Charter School: Closed Tuesday
Democracy Prep Congress Heights PCS: Closed Tuesday
Eagle Academy PCS: Closed Tuesday
Early Childhood Academy PCS:Closed Tuesday
Educare DC: Closed Tuesday
Excel Academy: Closed Tuesday
Friendship PCS: Closed Tuesday
Harmony DC Public Charter School: Closed Tuesday
Hospitality High School of Washington DC: Closed Tuesday
Ideal Academy PCS: Closed Tuesday
Imagine Hope PCS-Lamdon Campus: Closed Tuesday
Imagine Hope-Tolson Campus: Closed Tuesday
Inspired Teaching Demonstration PCS: Closed Tuesday
KIPP DC: Closed Tuesday
LAYC Youthbuild PCS: Closed Tuesday
Lee Montessori Public Charter School: Closed Tuesday
Levine School of Music: Closed Tuesday
Mary McLeod Bethune Day Academy PCS: Closed Tuesday
Meridian Public Charter School: Closed Tuesday
Mundo Verde Bilingual: Closed Tuesday
Options PCS: Closed Tuesday
Paul Charter School: Closed Tuesday
Somerset Prep Academy Charter: Closed Tuesday
Washington Math Science PCHS: Closed Tuesday

Maryland:
Allegany Co: Closed Tuesday
Anne Arundel Co: Closed Tuesday
Calvert Co: Closed Tuesday
Charles Co: Closed Tuesday
Frederick Co: Closed Tuesday
Howard Co: Closed Tuesday
Montgomery Co: Closed Tuesday
Prince George's Co: Closed Tuesday
St. Mary's Co: Closed Tuesday
Washington Co: Closed Tuesday

West Virginia 
Berkeley Co: Closed Tuesday
Hampshire Co: Closed Tuesday
Jefferson Co: Closed Today
Morgan Co: Closed Tuesday

Universities
American University: Closed Tuesday
Anne Arundel Community College: Closed Tuesday
Art Institute of Washington-Arlington: Closed Tuesday
Art Institute of Washington-Dulles: Closed Tuesday
Aviation Institute of Maintenance: Closed Tuesday
Bowie State University: Closed Tuesday
Capitol College: Closed Tuesday
Catholic University: Closed Tuesday
College of Southern Maryland: Closed Tuesday
Columbia College: Closed Tuesday
College of Southern Maryland: Closed Tuesday
DeVRY University: Closed Tuesday
Everest Institute (Silver Springs): Closed Tuesday
Everest College-Woodbridge: Closed Tuesday
Fredericksburg Bible Institue and Seminary: Closed Tuesday
Gallaudet University: Closed Tuesday
George Mason University: Closed Tuesday
George Washington University: Closed Tuesday
Germanna Comm College: Closed Tuesday
Graduate School-USDA: Closed Tuesday
Harmons Beauty School: Closed Tuesday
Hood College: Closed Tuesday
Howard Community College: Closed Tuesday
Howard University: Closed Tuesday
ITT Technical Institute-Springfield: Closed Tuesday
ITT Technical Institute-Chantily Campus: Closed Tuesday
John Hopkins U-DC Area: Closed Tuesday
LBC Seminary: Closed Tuesday
Marymount University: Closed Tuesday
Missouri State University: Closed Tuesday
Montgomery College: Closed Tuesday
Muhammad University of Islam: Closed Tuesday 
Medtech College-Maryland: Closed Tuesday
Medtech College-Virginia: Closed Tuesday
Medtech College-Washinton DC: Closed Tuesday
Northern Virginia Community College: Closed Tuesday
Prince George's Community College: Closed Tuesday
Salisbury University: Closed Tuesday
St. Mary's College: Closed Tuesday
The Universities at Shady Grove: Closed Tuesday
Trinity Washington University Closed Tuesday
U of MD-Baltimore Downtown: Closed Tuesday
University of Maryland-College Park: Closed Tuesday
University of Maryland-University College: Closed Tuesday
University of Virginia-Falls Church: Closed Tuesday
University of Mary Washington: Closed Tuesday
University of the District of Columbia: Closed Tuesday
University of the Potomac: Closed Tuesday
Virginia INTL University: Closed Tuesday
Virginia Commonwealth University: Closed Tuesday
Virginia Tech-No. Va Charter: Closed Tuesday
Washington College: Closed Tuesday
Wesley Theological Seminary: Closed Tuesday

Federal Government Offices are closed.


Stay with us here at ForecastGMU for updates on your winter weather!
-Katie