Nowcast - 9:00 am Fri

9:00 am update: Looks like some freezing rain falling outside. I heard the scrape of shovels but that is done. I'm assuming it was too tough to shovel the ice, because I haven't been outside and am guessing that the ice layer is fairly thick from hearing observations around the area. Looks like we're in for a bit more ice, as the radar shows. My guess is we do get close to the quarter inch of ice, and it also appears that the cold air is holding tough, except directly in the city of Washington. Closest observing station to me is reporting in the upper 20s. We'll see how long the cold air can hold on, but my guess is it isn't going anywhere soon. Next update will either be around 10:30 or noon (depending on when I wake back up again - UMD closed til 11!).

4:00 am update: Nothing falling in CP, but the radar echoes are continuing to fill in. Looks like we will get our precip after all... just less snow than expected. Will update in 4 and a half hours... be careful on roads in case of slick spots!!!

3:00 am update: Still no steady snow in College Park, but we have had off and on light snow/sleet for a bit. Radar seems to really be filling in a lot more, and apparently pressure values are falling off the Carolina coast... so if that means a coastal is forming, a bit more moisture could be thrown our way, giving us a shot at the significant snow and ice that we snowlovers so truly desire. Still watching that southwestern edge for the filling in of the dry slot. Next update will probably be at 8 am tomorrow.

1:15 am Update: The snow has started, very light, here in College Park, but it's already tapering off. Radar shows the first batch moving out, but it almost appears as though it's filling back in over in the Charlottesville area. Let's watch to see if this fills the entire DC area with snow. Next update (I hope) will be tomorrow morning, 8ish. If I'm still up, I'll update around 2:30 am.

Original Post (9:00 Thu): Everyone over on the boards at the Capital Weather Gang blog is getting discouraged. There's a big dry slot... and it's something that could bring down snow totals. But what if that snow hole closes up and we get some snow from now through tomorrow morning? It's a possibility, and as I write this, College Park just came in with a report saying that there is a light snow shower. So the snow is on the way in. But how much will fall is the question... and I'm holding with a dusting up to 2 inches... more to the north, less to the south.

Snow begins between now and 1 am across the area, and light snow will continue overnight. Expect a changeover to sleet and/or freezing rain sometime tomorrow, and I'll nail down that changeover in a later post. So, it may not be snowing where you are, but just keep the faith. Hopefully the snow hole can fully fill in and that dry slot can fill in with some snow too. Keep it tuned.