WUSA9 has released its Winter Outlook for the 2026-2027 season, predicting significantly more snowfall across the Washington, D.C. region than other local forecasts released so far. The station is calling for 28 inches of snow in Rockville, 35 inches at Dulles International Airport, and 20 inches at Reagan National Airport.
The forecast, led by Chief Meteorologist Topper Shutt and WUSA9’s Weather Impact Team, is based largely on the expectation of a strong El Niño pattern this winter. According to WUSA9, the pattern could create an active storm track with numerous opportunities for snow, provided enough cold air is in place when storms arrive.
While strong El Niño winters can produce vastly different snowfall totals, Shutt believes this winter could favor snow lovers. WUSA9 pointed to the 1997-1998 winter, when D.C. received just 0.1 inches of snow, and the 2015-2016 winter, which featured the historic Blizzard of 2016, as examples of how dramatically snowfall can vary during strong El Niño years.
In addition to the 28 inches predicted for Rockville, WUSA9 is forecasting 20 inches at Reagan National Airport, 35 inches at Dulles International Airport, 29 inches in Fairfax, 36 inches in Leesburg, 31 inches in Winchester, 40 inches in Hagerstown, 21 inches in Bowie, and 20 inches in Waldorf. For comparison, Rockville averages approximately 21 inches of snow per winter, while Fairfax averages 21 inches, Leesburg 22 inches, and Hagerstown 33 inches.
Last winter, WUSA9 predicted 10 to 20 inches of snow for most of the immediate D.C. metro area, with 20 to 30 inches expected in upper Montgomery County and areas farther north. The forecast was relatively close to what ultimately occurred across Montgomery County, where Bethesda, Rockville, and Silver Spring received approximately 11 to 15 inches, while Gaithersburg, Germantown, and Damascus finished with roughly 12 to 18 inches.
WUSA9’s outlook is the snowiest of the major local forecasts released so far. The Capital Weather Gang is predicting approximately 8 to 16 inches across Montgomery County, while FOX 5 is forecasting 6 to 12 inches for the immediate D.C. metro area, with higher totals farther north and west. WJLA’s Storm Alert Weather team is predicting 10 to 20 inches for Washington, D.C. and much of the immediate metro area, including approximately half of Montgomery County. WUSA9’s projection of 28 inches for Rockville would be approximately seven inches above the city’s seasonal average.
As with all seasonal outlooks, the projected totals are predictions for the entire winter rather than guarantees, and actual snowfall will depend on storm tracks and temperatures as individual systems approach the region.
