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Winter Storm Warning: Virginia will experience snow, sleet, freezing rain and plain rain

The winter storm will impact our area through Monday.

By: Mike Stone

Posted

and last updated

RICHMOND, Va. -- A major winter storm will impact Virginia late Sunday through Monday.

Winter storm warnings are in effect for much of Virginia, with winter weather advisories for southern Virginia.

The storm will spread snow into the region Sunday evening. Due to dry air in place, the first few hours of snow showing up on radar may actually evaporate before reaching the surface. Snow should make it to the ground by mid to late evening, and continue through midnight.

As some warmer air above the surface moves into the region, the snow will mix with and change to sleet (ice pellets). An accumulation of snow and sleet will occur Sunday night into Monday morning.

The layer of warm air will expand, which will allow for freezing rain. This is rain that falls as a liquid, but then freezes when it makes contact with the ground, which is at or below 32°.

The warmer air will continue increasing Monday, and this may change things over to plain rain, especially for the metro and points south. Some snow and a wintry mix will continue well north of I-64.

There will be some lulls in the precipitation at times.

As the storm system moves to the east late Monday, it will wrap cold air in behind it. This will switch any precipitation back to all snow. The exact strength and position of the storm will dictate how long the snow lasts.

Snow will end in most areas before midnight.

We will have some snow and sleet accumulation Sunday evening and Sunday night. The transition to freezing rain will wash away some of that snow, but will also put down an icy glaze on untreated surfaces.

Temperatures should get above freezing Monday in the metro and points south.

Additional snow later in the day will provide more accumulations.

Here's is our snow forecast map. Keep in mind, some of these grand totals will be made of up two different periods of snow accumulation (with mix and rain in between). For some locations, this will not be the total amount on the ground by Monday night, since some of it will have been washed away by rain.

Snowfall accumulations will depend on the exact track of the storm. A shift in storm track of just a few miles will mean more or less snow for some areas.

Untreated surfaces will remain icy on Tuesday. Despite sunshine through Friday, temperatures will not rise much above freezing during the day. Any snow or ice that melts in the sun will refreeze after sunset. This thaw/freeze cycle may continue through the week.