THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 3, 1995 TAG: 9502030587
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B2 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
Question marks abound in weather forecasts for the next few days as meteorologists wonder whether it will rain or snow. But there seems little doubt that this will be a stay-indoors weekend - wet initially and then very cold.
A major East Coast winter storm is expected Saturday with the potential for high winds along the coast and snow inland.
The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for tonight and Saturday for a large part of central and western Virginia, northern and central Maryland, Washington and the eastern West Virginia Panhandle.
The precipitation could be very heavy - for rain in southeast areas, and snow in central and western areas of the mid-Atlantic - said Jim Decarufel of the weather service office in Washington.
Some areas that are expected to get mostly rain and some thunderstorms - including Hampton Roads - could see snow Saturday night and Sunday, Decarufel said. That's because, as the storm moves away, colder air wrapped around it will move into the region from the north.
``A rush of atmospheric energy is diving south from the Northern Plains toward the Mississippi River Valley,'' said Rodney F. Gonski of the weather service office in Raleigh.
That is expected to result in the rapid development of a storm over Arkansas by this morning.
With that, ``the stage will be set for a major winter storm for the East Coast states by Saturday as the Arkansas low tracks eastward and cold air from the northeast collides with warm air from off the Gulf of Mexico'' and the Atlantic Gulf Stream, Gonski said.
Behind the storm, strong northwest winds are expected to bring some of the coldest air so far this winter.
Last week's snowstorm brought 4 to 5 inches of snow, mostly to central Virginia around Richmond, and it had largely melted by midweek.
This storm may dump far more snow, and it is expected to hit hard in Northern Virginia and Washington this time.
Snow, heavy at times, is expected to start late tonight or just after midnight and continue all day Saturday. The chance of snow is near 100 percent.
In Richmond, snow is expected to change to rain after midnight, and the rain is likely to continue much of the day before changing back to snow Saturday afternoon.
In Hampton Roads, today's forecast calls for increasing cloudiness with the high near 40. Tonight should see rain developing, with increasing winds and a low in the lower or mid-30s. The chance of rain is 80 percent.
Saturday's forecast calls for rain, heavy at times and possibly changing to snow showers during the afternoon.
The high should be in the mid-40s, with gusty winds.
Sunday is expected to be cloudy, windy and cold, with a high in the lower 30s and a low in the 20s. by CNB