Winter Storm Watch Downgraded To Advisory For D.C. Region

The D.C. area is still expecting some kind of winter storm event today, but it may not be as serious as experts originally thought. The National Weather Service has lifted its winter storm watch for the Washington area, replacing it with a less serious winter weather advisory.

The forecast now calls for a dusting to 2 inches of snow in the Washington area and parts of central Maryland, according to NBC Washington. Southern Maryland and other points south of the nation's capital are still under a winter storm watch, with more snow expected there as the storm tracks south.

Federal offices are open Thursday, although the U.S. Office of Personnel Management has given federal workers the option to take unscheduled leave or work from home. 

In preparation for the snow, salt trucks are rolling out in the District. About 200 trucks will be pre-treating roads in D.C. in advance of this afternoon's snowfall, according to DDOT. The same thing is happening in Northern Virginia, where VDOT has deployed 600 trucks to lay down chemicals and salt that will hopefully keep the highways and byways from freezing.

The snow event is expected sometime between 3 and 4 p.m. and will continue into the evening. This could affect both the evening commute today and tomorrow's morning drive — depending on how much snow sticks to the road.