WASHINGTON – Light precipitation, gusting winds and cold temperatures are making for a bone-chilling Friday the 13th in the D.C. area.
The lingering-but-light precipitation Friday morning — mostly rain, according to ABC 7 meteorologist Chris Naille — created potential icy conditions on the roads as temperatures hovered in the 30s. WTOP’s Kristi King reported there were heavy patches of salt on Fairfax County roads, where crews had been working since midnight.
“Don’t let the dry roadways fool you, you may still hit some earlier slick spots,” WTOP Traffic’s Reada Kessler said this morning, advising conditions may be a bit more slippery on ramps and bridges. “Callers are already reporting some slick spots in the area and you’re not going to know it, you’re going to hit it and you’re going to spin out, and we don’t want that to happen.”
Wind, meanwhile, looks to be more of a day-long issue. A Wind Advisory is in effect from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for Montgomery, Frederick and Howard counties in Maryland, for Loudoun and Fauquier counties in Virginia and for the city of Leesburg in Virginia, along with other jurisdictions.
The advisory means to expect gusts of 45 mph, although forecasters say to look for winds of up to 50 mph, which can make driving difficult.
“The buffeting wind is the biggest driving challenge here,” reported WTOP’s Neal Augenstein from I-270 in Frederick.
Wind chill caused by the gusts is expected to make it feel like temperatures are in the 20s.
And of course, the high winds may cause a more serious problem for some: ABC 7 Chief Meteorologist Doug Hill is issuing his “Combover Advisory.” Be warned.
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