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Snow and plunging temperatures continued to disrupt travel and public services across Northern Virginia on Tuesday, Jan. 7, while forecasters warned of strong wind gusts and another bitterly cold night.
Reagan National Airport closed all runways Monday night so crews could remove snow and prevent refreezing. The storm also caused flight cancellations at Dulles International Airport, where travelers were advised to confirm their flight status before heading to the airport.
Fairfax County government offices were scheduled to open at 10 a.m. Tuesday after closing Monday. Trash and recycling collection remained suspended, however, and vacuum leaf service was delayed by one week.
In the Rose Hill area, Virginia State Police spent hours searching a storm drain Monday afternoon for a driver accused of fleeing two crashes on Interstate 495. Troopers watched drain covers for possible exits before learning that the driver had emerged from a manhole about a quarter-mile from the entrance point.
At the Smithsonian’s National Zoo, giant pandas Bao Li and Qing Bao played in their snow-covered outdoor habitat during their first Washington-area snowfall. Both pandas arrived from China in October.
Fairfax County is also searching for a new chief technical officer. Gregory Scott, who has led the Department of Information Technology for nearly six years, plans to retire once his successor is in place. The position includes oversight of more than 300 employees.
A local history talk is revisiting the motels that once lined the Richmond Highway corridor. After U.S. Route 1 was paved in 1927, motels appeared rapidly along the roadway and remained a prominent feature from the late 1920s through the mid-1960s, according to Fairfax County Public Library archivist Chris Barbuschak.
The political fight over a proposed Tysons casino has generated substantial spending in Richmond. Casino opponents have spent more than $755,000 on donations and lobbying since the beginning of 2023, while potential developer Comstock Companies and other supporters reportedly spent $1.2 million during the same period.
Northern Virginia’s restaurant scene entered 2025 with several recently opened establishments offering options ranging from Thai cuisine to Southern comfort food.
Tuesday’s forecast called for sunny skies, a high near 32 degrees and northwest winds of 15 to 17 mph, with gusts up to 36 mph. Temperatures were expected to fall to around 18 degrees overnight under partly cloudy skies, with gusts reaching 24 mph.