The National Weather Service(NWS) has released an updated Ice Accumulation map that now covers all of Montgomery, Frederick, Howard, Loudoun, and Frederick counties with up to a tenth of an inch of ice.
Per the NWS: “Sleet & freezing rain continue to push toward northern VA, Maryland, & the eastern WV panhandle between 8-10am this morning. Precip will remain light to start with the heaviest this aft-eve. Highest snow & ice totals remain along & west of US-15 with a change to rain east.”
It currently appears as though freezing rain will be the issue this morning. Freezing rain is rain that freezes once it touches the ground- “Freezing rain occurs when the layer of freezing air is so thin that the raindrops do not have enough time to freeze before reaching the ground. Instead, the water freezes on contact with the surface, creating a coating of ice on whatever the raindrops contact” (per the NWS).
Some snow could still fall in some areas, but that has been becoming less of a threat while ice has been becoming more of a concern. Things will switch over to a heavy rain that should wash any frozen precipitation away as we move into the afternoon hours. Latest snow and ice maps by the NWS below:
