Weather expert: First major snowstorm of the season possible in Virginia

It might be time to break out the salt and snow shovels, as colder temperatures and a mixture of snow and ice appear to be on the way in Virginia.

The weather forecast is calling for more frigid conditions in the Shenandoah Valley and beyond, and there is a possibility of the first major snowstorm of the season on Sunday or Monday.

It’s also possible the region may see a few snowflakes on Friday.

“The weather pattern definitely looks colder the next couple of weeks,” said Thomas Kines, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather. “With the colder weather comes the potential for wintry precipitation.”

The bitterly cold pattern could be the coldest January in more than a decade and may be strewn with winter storms for the Midwest, South and East, according to AccuWeather.

“The bulk of the cold is likely to occur before the middle of the month and may be so extreme that “this could end up being the coldest January since 2011 for the U.S. as a whole,” according to Paul Pastelok, an AccuWeather long-range expert.

The colder air in the Valley will gradually return in the next few days.

“On Friday, it’s not out of the question there are a few flurries, although they are more likely in the mountains,” Kines said.

Those planning to travel on Sunday or Monday may encounter poor travelling conditions with a potential impactful storm brewing in the mid-Atlantic area.

“It’s way too early to say if it’s going to be a snowstorm, but it certainly looks like there can be a variety of precipitation … snow, ice and rain late in the weekend or during Monday,” Kines said.

The current forecast for Waynesboro on Sunday and Monday shows one to three inches of snow from the storm. However, residents are asked to monitor the weather changes since there is potential for an impactful weather event.

Stay tuned to AccuWeather to track the storm and projected impact.