Utilities Crews on High Alert for Later Today
Several School Systems Closing Early

By Michael E. Ruane and Elissa Silverman
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, February 14, 2007

A dangerous winter storm brought a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain to the Washington area yesterday, and the National Weather Service said that the region might face severe and disruptive icing by this morning.

The Weather Service predicted last night that the area would have the most significant accumulation of ice on roads and trees since the ice storm of 1999. Thousands of people lacked power for days afterward.

As it moved into the area yesterday, the massive storm prompted schools across the region to close early, and Virginia declared a statewide emergency. The federal government also dismissed employees early, as did many county governments. The unexpected federal dismissals sped up the onset of the evening rush, creating conditions of near-chaos as crowds in Metro stations swelled and roads became clogged.

Hundreds of flights at the area's three major airports were canceled last night, and more could be canceled this morning.

As of late last night, public school closures had been announced for today in Prince William, Stafford, Fauquier and Culpeper counties and in Manassas City.

And based on last night's forecast, it appeared that the full effects of the storm were yet to be felt. Forecasters said the latest observations showed "very high probabilities" that more than half an inch of ice would coat most of the metropolitan area.

That much ice, utility company officials say, heightens the risk of heavy damage to the area's electrical grid. It causes tree limbs and branches to fall and wires to snap. The Weather Service said the amount of ice expected had "the potential for widespread power outages."

It also said that data showed a "big slug of moisture" heading toward the region and that cold air, needed to convert the moisture into ice, was "firmly in place."

Freezing rain, which is anticipated today, is rain that turns to ice upon contact with cold ground.

Throughout much of yesterday, what came down was a combination of every form of winter precipitation. Such a mix happens when precipitation falls through layers of warm and cold air to become snow, sleet or rain before hitting the ground, meteorologists said. Washington is at a crossroads of such air temperatures.

In declaring an emergency, Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine (D) alerted state agencies to "take all necessary actions" to respond to the weather. That authorizes state emergency management officials to speed assistance in the event of storm-related damage. The order included a deployment of 150 National Guard troops to be ready to assist state emergency personnel. The state Department of Forestry positioned crews with chain saws in critical locations.

In the District, crowds jammed downtown Metro stops as federal workers flooded stations to get home. Incoming trains sounded their horns.

"Oh, my God!" cried Stephanie Gordon, a management assistant at the Treasury Department, as she approached the escalator in the mobbed Federal Triangle station. "This is ridiculous."

Many at the station said that the federal government should have staggered departure times.

"They're going to have everybody on the trains and everybody on roads at the same time," said Cynthia Sullivan, who works for the Commerce Department and was waiting for an Orange Line train. "You just got total chaos," she said.

The timing of the nasty weather seemed to surprise many of the area's big school districts, which opened schools in the morning but ordered them closed by noon. That flustered parents, who scrambled to get their children home.

At Woodlin Elementary School in Silver Spring, parents questioned the decision to open schools in the first place. Some said they received notice of the early dismissal an hour after the school day had started at 8:50 a.m.

"I'd much rather they close schools than do this," said Ron Hopson as he stood outside waiting for his 10-year-old son. "It was ridiculous. Why not close the school? They knew what was coming."

Schools in Montgomery, Prince George's, Fairfax, Anne Arundel, Loudoun, Arlington, Frederick, Charles and Calvert counties, among others, closed early. Administrators said it was only prudent.

"Every weatherman in the whole area had trouble predicting what to do," said Montgomery Superintendent Jerry D. Weast. "If the weather changes two to three degrees, you can go from looking like a genius to looking like the village idiot."

Federal government workers were dismissed at 2 p.m., and Metro had been alerted about an hour earlier. The decision sent Metro hurrying to get enough trains and operators to the downtown stations, officials said.

Typically, the rail system needs two to three hours to accommodate major shifts, such as a change in rush hour. Bus and train operators, who are paid hourly, must be called back to work, and rail cars must be moved into place.

"We're disappointed we didn't have more advance notice," Metro spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said. "We would have had a higher level of service out there."

Nonessential government employees in Anne Arundel and Montgomery were also dismissed early. Howard and Catholic universities closed at noon.

Airlines, including United, Northwest and US Airways, canceled scores of flights in the D.C. area.

Southwest Airlines did not expect to begin flying again until this afternoon, said Beth Harbin, a company spokeswoman. Tim Smith, a spokesman for American Airlines, blamed weather in the Washington area and in Chicago for the cancellations of about 30 flights.

Forecasts of freezing rain and high winds worried local utilities.

Bob Dobkin, a Pepco spokesman, said tree limbs "will just snap off in the wind and be blown into the lines."

Dominion Virginia Power officials said that the utility rebuilt a large portion of its distribution system after the damage from Hurricane Isabel in 2003, adding poles and wires. "A great deal of the equipment is brand new and will be stronger," said Karl Neddenien, a Dominion spokesman. Metro said that it would deploy de-icing equipment to try to keep its trains operating today. It said bus operations would depend on road conditions, "so passengers should expect possible detours and delays."

On the highways yesterday, slick surfaces and icy conditions in Prince George's led to at least one serious accident. Two pedestrians were hit by a car about 1 p.m. near Routes 50 and 197 in Bowie, police said.

They were struck when a driver on eastbound Route 50 lost control of his vehicle after hitting an ice patch, state police said. The men were taken to area hospitals for treatment.

With road conditions expected to be poor today, many Valentine's Day bouquets were delivered yesterday. As for today, Vanessa Wilder, a sales representative at Caruso's florist in the District, said not to worry: "We do things through rain, sleet, hail or tornadoes."