(Update at 8:35 p.m.) The National Weather Service is warning of near record-low temperatures on Monday night and early Tuesday:
…ICY ROADS AND ABNORMALLY COLD CONDITIONS TONIGHT…
CLEAR AND CALMING CONDITIONS WILL ALLOW TEMPERATURES TO DROP TO NEAR RECORD LOW TEMPERATURES TONIGHT. INTERIOR AREAS CAN EXPECT LOWS AROUND ZERO DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. EVEN WITHOUT A WIND CHILL DUE TO LITTLE OR NO WIND…THESE TEMPERATURES CAN LEAD TO HYPOTHERMIA ON EXPOSED SKIN IF PRECAUTIONS ARE NOT TAKEN. FURTHERMORE…ROADS REMAIN SNOWY AND ICY FROM SNOWFALL EARLIER TODAY.
IF YOU MUST VENTURE OUTSIDE TONIGHT…PLEASE TAKE EXTREME CAUTION AND DRESS APPROPRIATELY FOR THE CONDITIONS.
Temperatures are expected to drop to the single digits, with negative wind chills.
(Update at 7:10 p.m.) MCPS is closed on Tuesday. Here’s the announcement:
All MCPS schools are CLOSED on Tuesday, March 4. Offices open on time. Day cares in schools may open on time but check with your provider.- MCPS (@MCPS) March 4, 2014
(Update at 7 p.m.) We’re hearing reports that a snow plow truck hit a power line in Woodmont Triangle, which has caused almost 700 Pepco customers to lose power. According to Pepco’s outage map, power in the East Bethesda and Woodmont Triangle areas should be restored by 8 p.m.
Also tonight, Montgomery Parks announced it will close Beach Drive at 7 p.m. because of icy conditions.
(Update at 6:30 p.m.) The Town of Chevy Chase is warning its residents that dwindling salt and sand supplies might mean a longer than usual process for clearing its streets and sidewalks:
Town crews continue to clear Town streets; however, this effort has been more difficult and time consuming than anticipated because the County has severely limited the amount of salt and sand available to the Town and other down-County municipalities due to a supply shortage. The Town was not able to pre-treat the roads before the snow began and is now applying salt and sand in limited quantities in order to melt the snow. The Town is trying to secure more salt and sand from other sources.
The Town’s sidewalk snow removal program has begun, and we anticipate that the sidewalks will be clear by midday tomorrow (Tuesday).
Montgomery County announced this evening that Ride On will operate under a normal schedule on Tuesday. Passengers should anticipate some delays because of icy roads.
The county also announced that it hopes to have all county-provided recycling and trash collections that were canceled Monday performed on Tuesday. Trash collections will slide one day later than normal, so Tuesday collections will happen Wednesday with Friday collections set for Saturday.
With frigid temperatures, the snowy and icy road conditions are expected to remain tomorrow morning:
Snowy and icy road conditions are expected tomorrow morning, so the trucks may run a bit behind their normal schedule. If a street is not passable in the morning, the crew will attempt another pick up again at the end of the day. Streets remaining unplowed by late Tuesday will be serviced first-thing Wednesday morning. By the end of the day on Wednesday, the Division of Solid Waste Services expects all Monday and Tuesday routes to be complete.
(Original 4 p.m.) After about five inches of observed snow on Monday in Bethesda, Montgomery County will lift its Snow Emergency at 5 p.m.
Parking will remain free in county-owned lots and garages.
As for snow removal operations, the county’s MCDOT Storm Operations Map shows work continues on primary neighborhoods roads with most neighborhoods roads untouched.
Officials are urging motorists to be careful. Main roads appear to be in much better condition than this morning, when the heaviest of the snow was falling.
The MC311 Call Center will again remain open all night. Call 311 or 240-777-0311.
The county is providing limited Ride On bus service until 10 p.m., when the last bus trips will leave from Metro stations. Core routes that will operate are Routes 1, 5, 8, 15, 16, 17, 23, 30, 34, 43, 46, 47, 55, 56, 59, 61 and 100. Passengers should expect delays, with bus service every 30 to 60 minutes.
WMATA earlier on Monday announced all Metrobus service will remain suspended for all of Monday. Metrorail never closed.
An trained spotter for the National Weather Service reported exactly five inches of snow at the Dalecarlia Resevoir. That measurement happened at 3:25 p.m.
Photos via TrafficLand.com