Oakton Under Winter Storm Watch

Oakton, along with the rest of Northern Virginia, is under a winter storm watch starting Tuesday night — and the chances our area will see “significant snow” are increasing.

The National Weather Service issued the winter storm watch from Tuesday through Wednesday evening, warning more than 5 inches was possible across the watch area, which includes Fairfax, Loudoun, Alexandria, Arlington and Prince William counties, among others.

The storm impacts could include “difficult driving conditions, heavy wet snow and gusty winds could lead to power outages.”

And, since people in Northern Virginia like to name storms, the popular choice for this storm seems to be "Snowquester."

The official National Weather Service forecast for Oakton calls for a 30 percent chance of rain and snow Tuesday after 5 p.m., changing to snow after 11 p.m.

Two to four inches are expected in Oakton overnight Tuesday.

Snow is expected to continue through early evening Wednesday in Oakton, before returning to a mix of rain and snow, and perhaps snow again around 10 p.m. About one to two inches of snow are expected Wednesday.

The low temperature will be 31 Tuesday night and could rise to 35 on Wednesday, with wind gusts as high as 23 miles per hour.

NBC-4's chief meteorologist Doug Kammerer predicts that areas west of Interstate 95 will see the most snow in the area, and western Fairfax "much more." Kammerer predicts no school for Wednesday and possibly Thursday.

ABC-7 senior meteorologist Bob Ryan says there is a 60 percent chance the area will see 3-7 inches of snow, a 30 percent chance the area will see 5-8 inches of snow and a 10 percent chance of 8-10 inches of snow.

Predictions are accurate as of 12:15 a.m. Tuesday.

History of March Snow in DC Area

The DC area has gotten at least a trace of snow in March in 15 of the past 30 years, WTOP reported. Seven of those 15 snowfalls have been less than an inch. The most recently really significant snow in March was 5.5 inches in 2009.

Overall, the DC area has averaged 1.3 inches of snow in March over the past 30 years. Out at Dulles International Airport, the average for March is 2.8 inches over the past 30 years, according to WTOP.

This February, both Punxsutawney Phil and Potomac Phil predicted an early spring.

How are you preparing for the snow in Oakton? Tell us in the comments.

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