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Alexandria received its first significant snowfall of the season Jan. 6 as the year’s first winter storm covered parts of the city with as much as 9 inches of snow.
The storm brought 2 to 10 inches across the region after arriving early Monday and intensifying throughout the day. Alexandria schools closed, and Gov. Glenn Youngkin declared a state of emergency as forecasts warned that some parts of Virginia could receive up to a foot.
Snow fell at rates of 1 to 3 inches per hour before tapering off overnight. Rose Hill recorded 9 inches, Old Town received 8 inches, and 7.5 inches accumulated at St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes.
Nearby totals included 7.8 inches in Rosslyn, 6.1 inches at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and 9.3 inches in East Falls Church.
Fairfax County also saw substantial accumulation. Newington recorded 10 inches, while Hybla Valley and Lorton each received 9.5 inches. Huntsman Park measured 9.3 inches, Centreville recorded 9 inches and Oakton received 8 inches.
Daily Jan. 6 snowfall records were broken at Dulles and Baltimore/Washington International airports. Dulles recorded more than 5 inches, surpassing the previous 4.2-inch mark set in 2015. BWI received more than 6 inches, topping its 3.4-inch record from 1989.
The snowfall did not keep everyone indoors. Some restaurants in Old Town and Carlyle, including Sweet Fire Donna’s and Tequila and Taco, remained open.
Air travel faced much greater disruption. By 5:45 p.m. Eastern time Monday, more than 6,900 flights across the United States had been delayed and over 2,130 had been canceled.
More than 400 flights—about 80% of the day’s schedule—were canceled at Reagan National. Roughly one-third of scheduled flights were canceled at both Dulles and BWI.
Alexandria crews cleared snow from 561 lane miles of roads, 20 miles of publicly owned sidewalks, walkways and pathways, and 44 acres of municipal parking lots and public squares.
Below-freezing temperatures and gusty winds were expected to slow melting despite sunny skies, though warmer weather was forecast for the weekend. Residents must clear areas around their properties within 48 hours after a snowstorm ends.