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United States News Title: Washington area prepares for biggest snowfall in six years (Greatest accumulation in 70 years) A major storm was expected to bury the Washington region Saturday with what forecasters said could be the largest snowfall to hit the area in six years and the greatest December accumulation in more than 70 years. Accumulations of 15 inches or more in the city and up to 24 inches in parts of the Blue Ridge Mountains were possible, according to the National Weather Service. The snow was expected to cause significant disruptions for shoppers, travelers and revelers on the last weekend -- and biggest shopping day -- before Christmas. Especially large amounts of snow could accumulate southeast of the Interstate 95 corridor, where "paralyzing" near-blizzard conditions could occur, said AccuWeather.com chief meteorologist Joe Bastardi. Snow was expected to start falling early Saturday and to increase in intensity all day, as bands of precipitation, fed by moisture from the Atlantic Ocean and driven by a cold northeast wind, sweep over the area. Temperatures will remain in the 20s and low 30s, aggravated by gusty winds of 20 to 25 mph, the Weather Service said. The snow was not expected to taper off until Sunday morning. Severe highway, rail and air travel disruptions were anticipated. Some airlines were canceling flights Friday, and authorities urged people to stay off the roads. Southwest Airlines said it was allowing customers using six East Coast airports to rebook tickets without penalties. A state of emergency was declared in Virginia, where the National Guard was on alert to help with emergency transportation. In the District, Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) declared a snow emergency, effective at 7 a.m. Saturday. All vehicles must be removed from the city's snow routes or they will be ticketed and towed. Local government facilities were to be closed Saturday. Many weekend functions at schools were postponed. Emergency road and utility crews were deployed. Forecasters warned that conditions Saturday morning might not seem bad but would get much worse as the day went on. "There may not be that much snow on the ground when you wake up," said National Weather Service meteorologist Bryan Jackson. "But travel conditions will be rapidly degrading during the morning hours." Saturday "is not a day for Christmas shopping," he said. The storm, spawned in the Gulf of Mexico and centered over the Atlantic ocean as it heads up the coast, is a "northeaster," with a counter-clockwise flow around a center of low pressure bringing winds out of the northeast, meteorologists said. Experts said the storm could produce the most significant snowfall to hit the area since Feb. 15-18 of 2003, when more than 16 inches fell across the region. It also could be the biggest December storm in Washington since at least 1932, when 12 inches fell Dec. 17, the Weather Service said. This Story Region prepares to be snowed under First flakes falling in D.C. at 9 For retailers, snow would pile on D.C. snow emergency in effect at 7 a.m. Saturday Weather update: Capital Weather Gang Washington prepares for a wallop View All Items in This Story View Only Top Items in This Story "Historically, this is a big-time snow for December," said Dan Stillman, lead meteorologist for the Capital Weather Gang, the weather team at http://washingtonpost.com. "We're looking at a general 8 to 16 inches across the metropolitan area," Stillman said. "The jackpot for this storm is going to be just south and east of the District, with a sort of long southwest-to-northeast swath" where 22 inches of snow, perhaps more in spots, could accumulate from Fredericksburg to Dover. Across the area Friday, residents scrambled to prepare or escape. Christmas procrastinators hurried out to do what had been put off until Saturday. In Northwest Washington, shoppers and motorists were flummoxed when a mid-day power outage knocked out traffic lights in the area of Massachusetts Avenue and Yuma Street, darkening busy supermarkets for nearly three hours. Washington's Union Station was abuzz Friday with large crowds and long lines as passengers tried to beat the snow and get out of town. Cornelia Robertson Terry, 66, a retired federal worker from Rockville, was headed to Danville, Va. "I am afraid of the snow," she said. "I am afraid of driving. I said if I can catch the train it would be more helpful." Rocio Blanco, 39, of the District said she usually took a train to New York on Saturday. Worried about the weather, she said tried to get a ticket on a 1 p.m. train Friday. It was sold out. She settled for a 6 p.m. train. "I feel happy because I can get to my destination," she said. "A little late, but I guess it is a little crazy today."
Post Comment Private Reply Ignore Thread Top • Page Up • Full Thread • Page Down • Bottom/Latest Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 5.
#5. To: borntoweardiamonds (#0)
Everytime these Goebbels Warming Commie Illuminati NWO elite try to herd the nations into one world govt God lets them know just how small they really are Obama take note...you too Al Gore
#7. To: Joe Snuffy (#5)
I am absolutely delighted! LOL This is the best Xmas gift I've had in a long time. Food for the soul. LOL
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