A combination of cold, wind and many snow-covered roads meant conditions were slick to start Friday, says WTOP Traffic's Jack Taylor.
Road conditions have improved since the morning hours, when many roads were still snow-packed or slush covered. Interstates have had a chance to dry out and the bright sun is helping to melt away any remaining snow elsewhere.
And crews will continue to plow and treat roads ahead of tonight's bitter cold temperature, which could turn any wet, slushy roads to ice.
Snow walloped the area Thursday, with nearly a half foot in the inner suburbs and more than a foot in parts of Maryland. The snowfall eclipsed records at Dulles and Reagan National.
High pressure is moving in through the afternoon and the bright sun will melt some of the snow, but temperatures won't rise above the freezing mark, says Storm Watch 7 Meteorologist Lauryn Ricketts.
Virtually all schools in the D.C. area have closed and many businesses in the region are following suit, allowing employees to telework. The federal government opened two hours late, which contributed to a late delay.
Those who ventured out encountered major delays along some of the interstates because of morning crashes, which occurred due to icy conditions.
TRAFFIC:
Ice-covered roads were reported in Arlington, which effectively ran out of salt.
Drivers should also clear all of the snow off their cars before getting on the road, including the roof, hood and trunk areas before leaving the driveway or garage.
COMMUTING:
Montgomery County’s Ride
On bus will operate under a normal schedule Friday.
Fairfax Connector is running regular weekday service Friday with some exceptions:
In Alexandria, DASH buses and the King Street Trolley will not run until 8 a.m. Friday. They say a decision will be made on the schedule soon.
Annapolis Transit suspended all service at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. No word yet on Friday's schedule.
Amtrak will run on a modified service in the Northeast Corridor Friday.
VRE service Operating "S" Schedule for Friday.
MARC-Penn Line S schedule on Friday, No Camden or Brunswick Line service.
DC Circulator has suspended service on all routes.
Metrobus
MetroAccess
Metrorail