Bitterly cold air is sweeping into the region, but the anticipated snowstorm will largely miss Northern Virginia. Instead, it will track south toward Williamsburg and Virginia Beach, where accumulations are expected to be significant.

According to the National Weather Service, an expansive Arctic high-pressure system is building into the north-central U.S., reinforcing the cold snap. Meanwhile, an area of low pressure developing over the Mississippi River Valley will move toward the Carolinas before heading offshore midweek. As a result, the heaviest snowfall will stay well to the south, sparing much of Northern Virginia, the Washington, D.C. area, and Maryland from significant impacts.