So was this snowstorm overhyped? Sort of a Bust?

[Anonymous]

Given all the hype, dire predictions, and even empty shelves at the grocery stores, did this storm underwhelm? I'm not casting blame, I'm just wondering now that the precipitation is about to end, if the storm wasn't as strong -- and impactful for this region -- as predicted? Or, will the DC region basically be shut down for 3-4 days?

It's hard to get an accurate read from the weather industry about what comes next, because they seem to have an incentive not change the narrative that they had going into the storm.

Is there a chance that Monday is a dig-out day, and by Tuesday, schools and work will be back?

[Anonymous]

Monday is a dig out day. Tuesday is back to normal.

[Anonymous]

School in MoCo is already cancelled for Tuesday, so, no?

[Anonymous]

Our MoCo schools are already cancelled for Tuesday.

But yeah not snowmageddon, more like snow-ish.

I for one am grateful. I don’t want a terrible storm where people freeze to death or carbon monoxide poisoning themselves because the power goes out.

[Anonymous]

If this was New England tomorrow would be a regular day. The plows would’ve taken care of it all today.

[Anonymous]

Can’t believe they canceled school for Tuesday. They can’t clean it all up tomorrow ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can’t believe they canceled school for Tuesday. They can’t clean it all up tomorrow ?

No. It's three inches of sleet on top of 5 inches of snow. And it's all freezing together, with temps staying freezing all week.

We will be lucky if the major roads are ok by the end of tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

No. The major roads in Arlington like Fairfax or Wilson don't even have one cleared to pavement lane. Traffic cams are shocking.

[Anonymous]

I'm the OP of the Jan 25th storm thread.

This storm was a very rare event, that personally I've never seen in my life, in which we got practically as much sleet as snow, and a bit of freezing rain, all this under glacial temp conditions. It's unusual to get sleet and freezing rain in very cold conditions: there was a warm layer in the air that made snowflakes melt but then refreeze before hitting the ground. It's even more unusual to have hours upon hours of such conditions! And finally, it's rare for our area to get significant precipitation along with arctic air. Usually we get snowstorms close to the freezing mark, or dry arctic air - not both.

So while the general population might have thought we were just getting a foot of snow... we actually got a much rarer event.

Sleetzilla.

BTW, inches of glacial sleet are much harder to shovel than snow. Don't even bother apart from trying to clear your car and a path to the street. You're going to get a heart attack.

Also, we might get a little something next week

[Anonymous]

20:08 again. I also note you're a little prejudiced against Big Weather. There is no Big Weather. It's nerdy meteorologists trying to deal with the highly uncertain science of weather forecasting. We have tons of models, some of them AI, and typically they all predict something different until a couple of days before the event when they usually lock into a common solution (apart from some irritating winter storms where DC is right at the snow/rain line and then it's impossible to predict).

It takes a very experienced meteorologist with knowledge of microclimates of the region to make a good prediction, and I think the ones in the DC area came up with a good range. Maybe you were distracted by Faux Mets on social media?

[Anonymous]

if the sleet was snow - it would have been 15+ inches

[Anonymous]

The ice is also more dangerous and harder to clear. And if it hardens over night significantly it will be quite difficult.

[Anonymous]

I couldn't even get my driveway completely cleared, and there's all the stuff the plow kicked up blocking it anyway which my car won't be able to make it out. My road was barely plowed, and I'm one step past emergency route, so if my road is a mess the side streets are untouched. No way school buses are going to be able to navigate them on Tuesday. Hardly any sidewalks are cleared and they're going to be so icy tomorrow.

[Anonymous]

Moderate amount a snow, topped with ice, not a small storm as it stands, but the week without the temps going above freezing will mean the roads stay ice and pipes will burst.

[Anonymous]

I mean, I can't get out of my street and was stuck despite having four wheel drive. I've lived all over the country, including Michigan for several years, and have never had this much trouble driving. Hell, during the 2016 storm (w/ nearly three feet of snow), I had an emergency and managed to drive like 100 miles without getting stuck.