Takoma Park Weather: 2017 Snowstorm Live Feed

(Updated 4:45 p.m.) TAKOMA PARK, MD — The Nor'easter Stella is fast approaching Takoma Park, and she's bringing lots of snow with it. We'll be keeping a live stream of updates on the weather -- and any changes to the forecast -- in this post throughout the day, so stay tuned. (Get Patch’s daily newsletter and real-time news alerts, or like us on Facebook.)

How much are we going to get?

Weather.com says Takoma Park will get 4 to 8 inches of snow.

When is it going to hit?

The heaviest snow will take place between 9 p.m. Monday night and 9 a.m. Tuesday morning.

UPDATE 9:52 p.m.:

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) has declared a snow emergency route that began at 7 p.m. tonight that restricts parking along any snow emergency route.

Residents can park in County-owned parking garages free of charge Monday night and through midnight Tuesday, city officials said.

Ride On will operate the S Service Plan on Tuesday, March 14, meaning it will operate all its weekday routes — except the Route 94 — with some service, but the frequency of serve may be affected. Aditionally, there may be detours along routes that are icy or hazardous.

For more information on all MCDOT updates including information on snow plowing, bus schedules and more, click here.

UPDATE 4:22 p.m.:

The latest projection from the National Weather Service indicates that snowfall totals will be 4 to 6 inches in Washington, D.C. and points north and west of the city. In Prince George's County and southward, it will be in the 2 to 4 inches range.

And it's not just the snow -- it's going to be windy too, with gusts projected to be up to 30 to 40 miles per hour.

UPDATE 12:10 p.m.:

The Capital Weather Gang has just posted a major update to their focus, and unfortunately, there's still not a whole lot of clarity on what we're going to get here in Silver Spring.

The D.C. area is teetering right on the edge of a lot of snow and almost no snow at all, according to the Capital Weather Gang: "Overnight, conditions will vary considerably over short distances. You may only have to travel 10 miles to go from 5-10 inches of snow to very little."

However, CWG thinks that on the whole, our likely snowfall totals are decreasing: "Inside the Beltway, 2-4 inches of snow and sleet is most likely, with amounts quickly increasing to the north and west, and decreasing to the south and east."

Montgomery County Offers Winter Weather Tips:

• If there is a power outage, be prepared by having enough food, water, medication if needed and batteries to last at least two days. Make sure portable radios, smoke detectors and flashlights are working properly. Make shelter, food, water and medication preparations for pets and livestock.
• Automobile owners are urged to help clear the way for snow plow operators. When parking on-street, pull close to the curb on the even numbered side of the street. Park vehicles in driveways, or off the street, whenever possible.
• Plan where you will park if a State or County Snow Emergency is declared, making parking illegal on those roads. Drivers may park in County public-parking garages and lots for free during a snow emergency.
• Be sure your vehicle(s) are ready to drive after the storm by filling the gas tank; checking tires to make sure they have an adequate tread and are fully inflated; checking oil, antifreeze and windshield washer fluid levels; and ensuring windshield wipers, lights, flashing hazard lights, exhaust system, heater, brakes and defroster are all working.
• County residents are required by law to clear sidewalks in front of and alongside their properties within 24 hours of the end of a snowstorm. Everyone is encouraged to help seniors or others who may not be physically able to shovel. Remember not to shovel snow over fire hydrants and make a point to shovel hydrants out with a three-foot diameter around the hydrant.

If a power outage occurs:

• Treat all “dark” intersections as four-way stops. Stop, then proceed cautiously.
• During a power outage, relying on battery-operated lights, rather than candles, is much safer. Using candles increases the risk of a fire.
• Refrigerated food will remain unspoiled only about four hours if the refrigerator is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for about 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed. Use ice to keep your refrigerator at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0° or lower if there is a prolonged power outage.
• It can be fatal to use gas or charcoal grills, propane heaters and stoves, kerosene space heaters or generators indoors. These items are a source of carbon monoxide, which can build up indoors and cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Please see the Montgomery County Fire and Rescue site for more information.

Important Maryland Numbers include:

PECO: 1-877-737-2662
Baltimore Gas and Electric (BG&E): 1-877-778-2222 or 1-800-685-0123
First Energy/Potomac Edison: 1-888-544-4977
SMECO: 1-877-747-6326 or 1-888-440-3311
Washington Gas: 1-800-752-7520
Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission: 1-800-828-4002

Flight Delays: Flights from East Coast cities are being delayed as the storm moves in, and flights to and from Chicago are also experiencing delays. You can check for delays at Reagan National, Dulles and Baltimore-Washington airports online.

As of 11:27 a.m.: Could it be a bust? Mike Thomas of Fox 5 jokes about it in a tweet below, but the reality is that there is a very wide range of snowfall predictions for the D.C. area.

The only #snow forecast guaranteed not to bust in #DC! All joking aside, very tough forecast. New data coming in, snowfall map update soon. pic.twitter.com/FHZRItAlEi
— Mike Thomas (@MikeTFox5) March 13, 2017

Elsewhere...

The east coast is bracing for a major winter storm set to hit Monday night through Tuesday night. https://t.co/VyWINDk3xP for the latest. pic.twitter.com/7PXi0uDWlD
— NWS (@NWS) March 12, 2017

Additional Reporting by Patch Editor Dan Taylor

Image via Pixabay