Good morning my fellow Mid-Atlanticans!
The time is nearly upon us to see if the hype was all warranted and if the snow storm is going to hit us just as hard as they say it will. According to the Washington Post Capital Weather Gang, we're looking at 16 to 26 inches of snow over the next 36 hours or so here in the District of Columbia, Baltimore, Dover, NoVa, and surrounding areas, and the storm is going to stretch from at least Southern Virginia to at least New Jersey.
More info below the fold, and don't forget to share your snowmageddon related stories in the comments.
Unsurprisingly, transportation will be affected today. Here in DC, public transit may even be impacted. And if you have to drive anywhere, be sure to read AAA's tips for driving in the snow. And if you're in DC, MD, or VA, check herefor updates on roads and other transportation.
Luckily for the school kids, you won't have to put in a full day. School closings for Maryland, DC, and Virginia are here, and if you have other helpful info on this to share, please post in the comments.
Federal employees in the DC area are getting out early too. Current OPM operating status says that employees should be dismissed four hours early.
So I hope that you're cozy and warm inside today, and that your refrigerator is well-stocked. According to local media here in DC, grocery stores were swamped last night as people stocked up on the essentials. Did you have to stock up on anything?
I'm sure that residents of Siberia, Minnesota, Buffalo, and McMurdo Station are laughing at the panic in the Mid-Atlantic region over the snowpocalypse. Even Obama chided us last year for collectively freaking out over some snow on the ground. But bad weather is all relative, and just like an inch or two of snow will make a place like Dallas grind to a halt, a couple of feet is enough to knock many of us silly (at least many of us city dwellers; I know that many country folks might handle this with a little more fortitude).
So how's your snowy day going? Did you have to go to work today? Do you have to work through it, or are you going to be home sledding with the kids? This is your thread to discuss the snowstorm and post important updates about your local communities. Be safe out there today, and enjoy the storm!
10:00 AM EST UPDATE: In the comments hopeful shares a great link to a radar map on WTOP showing the storm as it approaches. Check it out here.