The Fredericksburg region narrowly missed out on a Winter Weather Advisory as a fast-moving band of snow targets portions of northern Virginia, Washington, D.C., and central to northeastern Maryland late Saturday into Sunday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
The advisory, issued by the National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington office, is in effect from midnight Saturday night through 10 a.m. Sunday for areas north of Fredericksburg, including much of the Interstate 95 corridor closer to Washington and Baltimore. Forecast snowfall totals in those areas range from 1 to 3 inches, with localized totals of 4 to 5 inches possible in far northeastern Maryland.
Fredericksburg and the surrounding parts of the central Rappahannock region are expected to see little to no accumulation, keeping the area just outside advisory criteria.
Forecasters say snow will develop late Saturday night as an Arctic cold front moves through the region. While precipitation may briefly begin as rain in some locations, it is expected to transition to snow as colder air rushes in quickly overnight.
A narrow band of heavier snow could form between 1 and 5 a.m. Sunday, mainly north and northeast of Fredericksburg. Within this band, snowfall rates could approach or briefly exceed one inch per hour, with visibility dropping below one-half mile in heavier bursts.
“Snow totals will be heavily dependent on the exact placement of this narrow band,” the National Weather Service said, noting that small shifts could lead to sharp differences in accumulation over short distances.
Snow is expected to taper off from northwest to southeast around daybreak Sunday, ending by mid-morning. While Fredericksburg is likely to avoid significant snowfall, residents should still be prepared for rapidly falling temperatures and gusty winds behind the front.
Sunday afternoon will turn sharply colder, with temperatures falling through the 20s and brisk northwest winds gusting up to 30 to 40 mph in some areas. Wind chill values are expected to drop into the teens and single digits by late Sunday, even in areas where little snow is expected.
Arctic high pressure will settle over the region Sunday night into Monday, bringing clear skies but bitterly cold conditions. Lows Sunday night are forecast to fall into the teens east of the Blue Ridge, with highs on Monday struggling to reach freezing before temperatures begin to moderate later in the week.
While Fredericksburg escaped this round of winter advisories, forecasters caution that road conditions could still become slick overnight in nearby areas, especially north toward the Washington-Baltimore corridor. Residents traveling on Sunday morning are urged to monitor conditions and allow extra time.
