Community Corner

Below-Zero Wind Chills Headed Toward Region

How low will the thermometer drop in coming days?

Winter is dealing the region a one-two punch with the coldest temperatures in 20 years expected by Monday after snowfall that totaled between 3 and 4 inches near Germantown, Takoma Park and Gaithersburg, according to the National Weather Service.

Statewide, snow totals ranged from 2.6 inches in College Park to 7 inches in the Baltimore area.

Next up: chances of freezing rain before dangerously cold air from Canada swoops into the region.

Find out what's happening in Bethesda-Chevy Chasewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

How cold are we talking? The National Weather Service says “bitterly cold conditions are expected behind an Arctic front Monday through Tuesday night. Record cold temperatures are expected across the area. This airmass may turn out to be the coldest airmass in 20 years. Dangerously low wind chills are also expected during this time.”
While these temperatures are extreme, in Minnesota, the state's governor has already canceled school for Monday because of the dangerous cold. The expected high in the Twin Cities will be 17 degrees below zero that day; even colder temps are predicted in the northern half of the state.

Here’s the Weather Service’s forecast for the Washington, D.C., area:

Saturday: Sunny with highs in the lower 30s on Saturday before clouds move in with patchy freezing drizzle after midnight. Lows in the mid 20s.

Sunday: Cloudy with a chance of rain or freezing rain in the morning, switching to rain in the afternoon. Highs expected in the lower 40s. Overnight lows in the lower 30s.

Monday: Mostly sunny with highs in the mid 30s. But, temperatures are expected to fall into the mid 20s in the afternoon. Lows overnight near zero to 5 above. Wind chill values as low as 5 below. 

Tuesday: Sunny and cooler with highs 15 to 20. Wind chill values as low as 10 below. 

Wednesday: Sunny with highs back in the upper 20s. 

Thursday: Mostly cloudy and highs rebound to the lower 40s. 

Find out what's happening in Bethesda-Chevy Chasewith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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