Safeway issues "storm alert," crews treat roads ahead of Bethesda snowstorm

The first winter storm of 2019 is about thirty hours away, and preparations have been a mixed-bag, particularly as forecasters scale back the expected accumulation numbers for the D.C. area. Some Safeway stores in the county have posted signs outside declaring a "Storm Alert," exhorting customers to "Be Prepared! Stock up on supplies today!" But there was no apparent rush on supermarkets as of last night. The Safeway store at the Shops at Sumner Place in Bethesda was fully stocked with milk, bread and paper goods inside, and snow shovels and firewood outside. Other grocery stores visited last night were equally well-stocked.

Montgomery County's Department of Transportation was a bit more busy. Trucks were pretreating roads from Bethesda to Burtonsville Thursday night into Friday morning.

Suburban News Network

STORM CENTER

Winter Storm Gia is expected to hit Montgomery County around 2:00 PM tomorrow. Temperatures should be just above freezing at that time, but will drop below 32 degrees over the next few hours after that. Expect a snow accumulation of around 2 inches by Sunday night. Low temperatures will make for dangerous travel conditions.

BETHESDA/DC AREA SNOW FORECAST

How many inches of snow will Bethesda and the DC region get from this nasty, late winter storm tonight?

A winter storm warning is in effect across the region today from 2:00 PM until 2:00 PM Monday. Rain is forecast to begin this afternoon, and change over to snow as the sun sets. The heaviest snow will fall during the overnight hours tonight. Currently, the National Weather Service is calling for accumulation of 5 inches, or more. Temperatures will be in the 20s overnight.

Winds during the storm will gust up to 20 MPH, but average around 10.

Highs on Monday will remain in the lower 30s, meaning travel will be dangerous, and road conditions could remain hazardous throughout the day.

Stay tuned for updates here on the blog, and at @BethesdaRow on Twitter. Not following me on Twitter? This is a good time to correct that problem!

BETHESDA / DC SNOW UPDATE - HOW MANY INCHES WILL FRIDAY NIGHT'S STORM BRING?

The current temperature in Bethesda ranges from 30° F in Sumner to 33° in Bradley Hills.

Expect delays on the Red Line for Shady Grove-bound trains, but Metro subways are operating. The only Metrobus routes operating in Maryland are: 83, A12, C4, C22, D12, F4, J2, K6, P12, Q1, T18, Y9, Z8. Ride On buses are on the S Schedule, which means they are (supposedly) running, but won't adhere to the posted route schedules.

The federal government is opening 2 hours late, and Montgomery County Government and schools are closed. Cabin John Ice Rink is closed today.

We could get an additional 1-3" of snow overnight, as temperatures will drop below freezing.

BETHESDA RESIDENTS FRANTICALLY STOCK UP AS SNOW HITS DC AREA (PHOTOS)

Store shelves are being swept clean as Bethesda residents stock up for what could be a 5-day snowbound weekend. Snow began falling with surprising steadiness during the evening rush, and essentials started flying off store shelves.

The shelves weren't bare yet at the Bethesda Row Giant earlier this evening, as you can see in these photos, but emptier than usual.

Latest National Weather Service forecasts boosted maximum possible accumulation projections to the 11-12" range.

Stay tuned here and on Twitter (@BethesdaRow) throughout the storm.

BETHESDA / DC SNOW FORECAST: HOW MANY INCHES TO EXPECT

We are now under a Winter Storm Warning across the DC Metro area, from 7:00 tonight, through Thursday evening.

It is currently a frosty 17° F in Bethesda. Expect the real snow to start after 8:00 PM tonight, with accumulation of 4-8 inches by Thursday afternoon. The temperature could drop into the upper teens tonight. Temperatures in the low 30s on Thursday could create a mix of snow and freezing rain. Because atmospheric conditions suggest a heavy, wet snow, cleanup will be more difficult, and power outages are likely. Winds will pick up Thursday, with gusts in the 30 MPH range, adding to the likelihood of outages.

Some stores appeared to be running low on the most popular types of milk last evening, but most other items were in stock.

Take a flashlight, food and water in your vehicle if you must travel during Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

BETHESDA ICE/WEATHER UPDATE (PHOTO)

It is now above freezing in Bethesda. Expect rain or freezing rain intermittently over the next few hours, but this further precipitation shouldn't stick due to the temperature increase.

Temperatures will remain above freezing all day, and the Winter Storm Warning expires at 10:00 AM this morning.

We're not thawed out yet, though, as you can see on this Bethesda Ride On sign.

BETHESDA-CHEVY CHASE ROAD CONDITIONS UPDATE (PHOTOS)

The parts of Bethesda and Chevy Chase I have driven through this morning have well-treated roads, for the most part. Watch out for the occasional ice patch.

It is currently 14°, but the snow is light in texture, which is a positive for cleaning off cars, and for road conditions. As you can see in these photos taken near the Friendship Heights Metro station and Mazza Gallerie, roads are in good condition. Today's high will be 24° around mid-afternoon, with temperatures plunging to a low of 6° by 6 AM tomorrow morning.

TROPICAL STORM ANDREA FORECAST FOR BETHESDA/DC AREA - BETHESDA WEATHER

BETHESDA STORM CENTER

ANDREA UPDATE:

Andrea is traveling up the southern East Coast. The tropical storm is moving NE at 28 MPH.

Winds within the storm are now measured at 45 MPH.

The eye of the storm is currently located east of Savannah, Georgia.

Heavy rain is expected in Bethesda throughout the day, and flash flooding is a real possibility.

FLOOD-PRONE ROADS
+  +  +  +  +

In Bethesda, I would suggest you avoid the following flood-prone areas, especially during a Flash Flood Warning:

Little Falls Parkway (the whole thing), Massachusetts Avenue at Little Falls Parkway, River Road near Ridgefield Road/Whole Foods, Beechtree/Burning Tree Road, Bradley Boulevard at Arlington Road, River Road at Willard Avenue, Goldsboro Road between River Road and MacArthur Boulevard.

ANDREA FORECAST FOR BETHESDA/DC AREA
+  +  +  +  +

TODAY:

Flash Flood Watch in effect.
Heavy rain, with 1-2" rainfall expected, heavier in spots.
Winds E-SE, 5-10 MPH.
Temperature: 73°.

TONIGHT:

Rain ending overnight.
Winds N 10-20 MPH.
Temperature: 68°.

SATURDAY:

Afternoon showers.

BETHESDA SNOW UPDATE - WINTER STORM SATURN - MARYLAND, DC

Well, so far the weather experts have been dead wrong on Winter Storm Saturn. Rain starting at 5 PM yesterday? Never happened. 1-3" of snow last night? Nope. Now they're telling us the worst is still to come today. I don't have much faith in these "experts."

Roads are slick but quite passable at this hour.

Schools and the federal government are closed. The Maryland state government is on liberal leave.

Almost all Metrobus routes are running, but some are on "limited" schedules. That means more waiting than usual at bus stops.

Forecast remains the same, with snow accumulation of 5-6" by tomorrow, while other models say anywhere from 3-12".

Stay tuned here and at @BethesdaRow on Twitter for updates.

HOW MANY INCHES OF SNOW WILL BETHESDA, DC AREA GET FROM WINTER STORM SATURN?

Bethesda is under a Winter Storm Watch right now. The sun is shining, but there's a wintry chill in the air.

Winter Storm Saturn is on its way to the DC area.

How many inches of snow will end up falling on Bethesda tonight and on Wednesday?

The average prediction is 5-6 inches. Some forecasters say it could be as many as 8-12.

But here's an intriguing prediction: the now-famous Euro Model is saying the DC area will receive a 1-3" accumulation. This contradicts the majority of forecasts. Yet it is intriguing because the Euro Model was dead-right about the hurricane last fall.

The fact is, nobody knows. But conditions are right for up to a foot of snow.  And it is supposed to be a wet, heavy snow. That means more effort to shovel and plow for humans and machines.

Even though the Euro Model sounds unlikely, you can't rule out the data from a model that has been accurate so many times.

The fact that temperatures will rise above freezing on Wednesday could certainly reduce the potential total accumulation.

But that ice and slush will freeze solid after dark again, so watch out.

Today, expect light showers by 5:00 PM, changing over to snow after dark.  Accumulation of 1-2" possible tonight. Winds gusting to 30 MPH.

Wednesday, heavy showers and heavy snow. Accumulation of 5-12" possible through Thursday morning. Winds will gust to 35 MPH. Visibility could be affected if snowfall is heavy, due to winds.

Metro and Metrobus are total wildcards in recent years, in contrast to their past practice of operation during all but the worst snows in prior decades.

Stay tuned here and at @BethesdaRow on Twitter for updates throughout the storm!

WINTER STORM IAGO APPROACHING BETHESDA, 1-3" RAIN AND/OR SNOW ACCUMULATION POSSIBLE IN DC AREA

BETHESDA STORM CENTER:
IAGO SNOW UPDATE

While some forecasts have overhyped the snowstorm expected to hit the DC area today, you can count on slick roads during the evening rush hour tonight.

Federal agencies in the Washington, DC, area are OPEN and employees have the option for UNSCHEDULED LEAVE or UNSCHEDULED TELEWORK, according to the OPM website.

Expect rain showers this morning, and a rain/snow mixture early in the afternoon.  Temperatures are not currently forecast to drop below freezing tonight. Any concentrated snowfall will have difficulty sticking if that holds true.

In the worst case scenario, snowfall accumulation should total no more than 1-3" by evening.

Snow should taper off after 9 PM.

This is more likely a "be careful driving" storm than a "clean out the grocery store" blizzard.

Stay tuned here and on Twitter at @BethesdaRow for Bethesda weather updates as warranted.

WHEN HURRICANE SANDY HITS MARYLAND, DC, PLAN FOR "UNPRECEDENTED" WEATHER CONDITIONS - FRANKENSTORM UPDATE

BETHESDA STORM CENTER

SANDY UPDATE

Over the night, Hurricane Sandy weakened into Tropical Storm Sandy.  But don't be fooled:  Sandy is already a hurricane again.

The word most common in the latest predictions is "unprecedented."  Sandy may make landfall Monday as a Category 2 hurricane in the worst case scenario.  One forecast predicts that we could experience 48 straight hours of 70 MPH wind gusts.  Some forecasters now expect 8" of rain - that's a 2" increase since yesterday - and isolated pockets of up to 12".

We are now under a flood watch through 8:00 AM Tuesday.  The only positive news is that the latest model is showing the very worst flooding now slightly north of DC's latitude.  The bad news is that the storm will have serious impacts hundreds of miles from its center.

Let's hope Sandy stays weak.  But the storm's slowing speed does give it more ability to gain power from the ocean below it.  Fortunately, the Atlantic is not as warm as the Caribbean.  Alas, Sandy is already carrying a heavy load of tropical moisture with it as it travels toward us.

Here are the latest stats for Sandy:

LOCATION:  350 miles SE of Charleston, SC

WINDS:  70 MPH

MOVING:  NNE at 10 MPH

Make sure to follow @BethesdaRow

on Twitter, as well as this blog,

 for hyperlocal coverage

 of Sandy in Bethesda

HURRICANE SANDY UPDATE: 3 SCENARIOS FOR BETHESDA, DC AREA

BETHESDA STORM CENTER

SANDY UPDATE

Sandy met expectations yesterday, strengthening into a hurricane even earlier in the day than expected.  Currently a Category 2 storm, Sandy has already hit Jamaica and Cuba.

What now for the U.S. East Coast?

The outcome is just as up in the air as it was yesterday at this hour.

But atmospheric conditions suggest 3 likely outcomes.

The worst case scenario is a direct hit to Maryland, via the Chesapeake Bay.  Based on current behavior, Sandy should arrive here after 8:00 AM Monday morning.  So we have a few days to track how this is going, and prepare accordingly.

Even under milder Scenario 2, Sandy will give a Winnie the Pooh-worthy blustery day - or 2 or 3.  We could still have some wind damage and power outages, but not a direct hit.

Finally, Scenario 3 finds us escaping unscathed, with no storms at all, and a return to cooler fall weather.  It all depends on that low pressure system, and if it stays over us through Monday.  That would push Sandy away from the East Coast and out to sea.

Right now, you may want to think about securing or bringing in any objects in your yard, or on your apartment balcony, as we get closer to Monday.  That would include Halloween decorations, for example.

Let's hope for the best, as a direct hit would make for a scary Halloween indeed!

Here are the latest stats for Sandy:

LOCATION:  40 miles E of Holguin, Cuba

WINDS:  105 MPH

MOVING:  N at 18 MPH

Latest Developments:

+TROPICAL STORM WARNING

S OF FLAGLER BEACH, FL

+AIR FORCE RECON PLANE

TO FLY NEAR SANDY

LATER THIS A.M.

BETHESDA STORM UPDATE: BATTEN DOWN THE HATCHES

Severe thunderstorms are expected to hit Bethesda between 1 and 11 PM today.  With a cold front hitting 105 degree temperatures, fasten your seatbelts for a wild and wooly day.

Don't forget that collection of curbside storm tree/limb/miscellaneous wood scraps begins July 11.

Let's hope the county picks up the 3 fallen trees currently blocking the sidewalk on Westbard Avenue between Westbard Circle and Massachusetts Avenue.  If you are trying to walk to church or Little Falls Library, use the Westbard Mews side of the street sidewalk.

KILLER STORM ROCKS BETHESDA, MASSIVE POWER OUTAGES TEST PEPCO IMPROVEMENTS

A powerful thunderstorm system blasted Bethesda Friday night, knocking out power throughout town, and leaving a massive mess in its wake.

73% of residents had no power Friday night.  An urgent public health emergency looms today, with temperatures forecast as feeling like 115 degrees, and A/C-deprived Pepco customers being told power will be out for several days.

It is unclear at this hour just what locations in Bethesda do have power, in terms of what sites can be opened as cooling stations today.

Trees are down from Bethesda Row to the Potomac River.  Massive power outages were reported by residents in neighborhoods off of major highways like River Road and Old Georgetown Road.  One resident near Goldsboro Road reported hearing repeated blasts of a truck air horn over an hour-long period during the night.  I have no idea what that could have been, but would assume it was something serious to make that much noise at night.  If anyone knows what that was related to, let me know, and I'll pass that information on.

Pepco is now facing its first real test of its  2-year-long service improvements.  Bethesda residents reported that outage hotlines were down around 11 PM last night.  Today the area will find out if Pepco has the crews from outside DC to respond to one of the biggest outages in history.  If Pepco rises to the challenge, it could greatly improve public opinion of the utility.

Downtown Bethesda outages left late night partiers without post-nightclub eats.  Both Bold Bite and Jiffy Shoppes were forced to close.  Redwood's Bethesda Lane patio was lashed by hurricane force winds.

In fact, an 80 MPH wind shear was recorded in Bethesda at the height of the storm.  The freight train sounds I heard confirm that.  I was sure a tornado would spawn at any moment, but the damage suggests that circular wind patterns did occur.  Leaves carpet streets, and tree companies will be busy for weeks.  The full extent of the damage will be known once the sun rises this morning.

If you have difficulty reaching Pepco, try their Twitter at @PepcoConnect.

Monitor radio for announcements of cooling centers if you have no AC.

Be advised that more storms are expected today and Sunday.

Stay tuned for more details on one of the Top 5 most violent storms to hit Bethesda in the last 50 years.  Follow me on Twitter @BethesdaRow for more breaking weather news.

Stay cool, Bethesda!

BETHESDA'S

LOCKHEED MARTIN

READIES

LIGHTNING MAPPER

THAT WILL REVOLUTIONIZE

WEATHER FORECASTING

Satellite Module will Provide More

Accurate Tornado Warnings

Bethesda-based Lockheed Martin is conducting final tests on a new addition to its long-deployed GOES weather satellite.

The Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) will record all cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning activity over the entire Americas.

In other words, the whole enchilada: every single lightning strike will be detected by this near-infrared device.

That in-cloud lightning activity is critical to giving as much as thirty minutes' warning of a tornado spawning. The complete scan will reveal an individual storm's "jump signature," a sudden acceleration of cloud-to-cloud lightning activity. This will also reduce false alarms.

Lockheed has scheduled final thermal and thermal vacuum testing for the coming months.

The Goddard Flight Center right here in Maryland helps manage development of GOES instruments.

Deployment of this advanced storm detection can't come a minute too soon, as unusual tornado activity continues to wreak havoc across the nation's southern and midwestern regions.