Weather Update 4:05 PM Thursday

Winter Storm Warning is still in effect for communities shaded in the pink and is in effect until Saturday evening. These areas will receive 12 to 18" of snow with isolated areas approaching two feet. Areas shaded in blue are under a Winter Storm Watch until Saturday evening, where metro Richmond will receive 3 to 6" of snow with heavier amounts to the north and west. Lastly, areas shaded in the green are under a Flood Watch through Saturday morning.

Snow will arrive early tomorrow morning and persist into the afternoon. Snow will be heavy at times and could quickly accumulate. Surface temperatures will hover around freezing early in the day, then steadily rise into the mid 30s by the afternoon and evening. During this time, we will see a transition from a wet snow to a wintry mix of snow and sleet and possibly rain (especially south and east of Richmond).

We will have another shot at an accumulating snow on Saturday as the back edge of this storm moves out of our area.

Winter Storm Warnings Expanded

A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for the counties highlighted in pink from 6 a.m. Friday through 10 p.m. Saturday, where widespread totals in excess of a foot are likely. Northern Virginia could see totals as high as 18". Snow is expected to expand into Central Virginia Friday morning, and will remain as snow for Northern and Northwestern Virginia for the duration of this winter weather event. Southeast of the Watch, a changeover to sleet and rain will occur Friday evening before returning to snow Saturday morning.

Winter Storm Watch For Friday & Saturday

A Winter Storm Watch has been issued for Friday and Saturday in much of Central Virginia, with Warnings in the southwest. The highest snowfall totals are likely in the Watch area, with higher totals as you go northwest of the southern edge of the Watch. Most locations in the Watch can expect more than 4" of snow by Saturday night. This will not be a "pure snow" event, though, like last weekend's storm for the entire state. This time we'll have sleet mixing in with the snow in Central Virginia, and rain may also occur for the counties in the southern edge of this Watch on Friday. There will likely be a rapid increase in snow totals as you go northwest of this line, with northern Virginia locations likely receiving more than a foot of snow (as the event will be all snow for that part of the state).