A powerful and fast-moving winter storm swept across the eastern United States on Friday, December 5, 2025, unleashing a mix of snow, ice, and rain that disrupted daily life from Oklahoma to the mid-Atlantic. The wintry blast led to hazardous road conditions, significant travel delays, and widespread school schedule changes, particularly in the Washington D.C., Virginia, and Maryland region.
Snowfall and Icy Conditions Create Travel Hazards
Meteorologists from AccuWeather reported that the storm system tapped into a reservoir of cold air, generating a significant band of snow and ice. The heaviest snow was concentrated across the mountainous regions of Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia. Meanwhile, lighter snow bands extended towards major urban centers like Washington, D.C., and even posed a brief slick threat to Philadelphia.
In parts of Virginia, including areas around Roanoke, Harrisonburg, and Richmond, snowfall accumulations ranged between 2 to 4 inches. The impact was immediate and severe. Even minimal accumulation and a thin glaze of ice were enough to create treacherous driving conditions. Authorities warned of dangerous travel on untreated roads and sidewalks, while reduced visibility caused delays at major airport hubs like Washington D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City.
Further south, the system brought heavy rainfall of 1 to 2 inches—with isolated pockets reaching up to 4 inches—across northern Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas, raising concerns about potential urban flooding.
Widespread School Delays and Closures
The onset of light snow early on Friday morning, with temperatures in the teens and 20s Fahrenheit, turned the morning commute into a messy affair. This prompted a wave of schedule adjustments for school districts across Northern Virginia and Maryland.
In Northern Virginia, multiple major school districts announced two-hour delays. This included Arlington Public Schools, Fairfax County, and Loudoun County public schools. For many of these institutions, this marked the first snow-related delay of the winter season.
The situation was similar in Maryland. Schools in the Baltimore area reported numerous delays as icy conditions developed. Forecasts indicated less than an inch of snow for Baltimore, with Anne Arundel County expecting around one inch. Notably, St. Mary’s County in Maryland was placed under a Winter Weather Advisory from 4 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, with a forecast of 1 to 4 inches of snow and peak intensity between 4 a.m. and noon.
Regional Impacts and Broader Weather Pattern
The storm's effects were not limited to the mid-Atlantic. The system also brought pockets of snow and ice to higher elevations from British Columbia to Oregon on the West Coast. The primary story, however, remained focused on the eastern seaboard, where the combination of precipitation and cold air created the perfect conditions for winter chaos.
The event underscored the vulnerability of transportation and education systems to sudden winter weather shifts. The delays at major airports and the proactive decisions by school administrations highlighted the storm's significant operational impact on one of the country's most populous regions.
