A good chance of snow tonight

Snowy weather could descend on the area this weekend

Date published: 2/10/2006

By COLLEEN CREEGAN and COREY A. BYERS

While December brought less than 2 inches of snow to the Fredericksburg area and January saw only a few flurries, this weekend could usher in February's first snowfall.

The National Weather Service predicts snow may start falling in the area late this evening, and continue into tomorrow.

As of yesterday afternoon, the Weather Service predicted a 70 percent chance of snow here, with some accumulation possible. Where the snow will fall and how much will come remains uncertain.

The Weather Service won't issue winter-storm watches or weather advisories until today.

"The potential does exist for a winter storm," said Brian Guyer, a meteorologist at the service's Sterling office. "[There is] a lot of uncertainty about the track of the storm."

Dave Dombeck, a meteorologist with AccuWeather.com, believes there could be anywhere from 2 to 4 inches of snow accumulation in the Fredericksburg area. If any snow mixes with rain, he said snowfall could measure 1 to 3 inches.

According to Guyer, unseasonably warm weather in January was due to a high-pressure system over the western Atlantic Ocean. Cold fronts were found overseas between Asia and Alaska.

To date, Washington Reagan National Airport has reported total snowfall of 4.8 inches this winter--5.2 inches below average.

Henry Margusity, another AccuWeather.com, meteorologist, said that despite the nation's warmest January in record-keeping history, the season is still supposed to be cold and it's not unusual for such storms to hit.

But Guyer doesn't expect this cold air to last long.

"This could be one of our last cold outbreaks for the year," he said.

To reach COREY A. BYERS: 540/374-5000, ext. 5779

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Date published: 2/10/2006