(Jan 3): A storm sweeping across the central US is threatening to dump several inches of snow on Washington on Monday, potentially making for a slippery commute on the day Congress is scheduled to certify the presidential election.

The system may drop more than five inches (13cm) of snow on Washington and Baltimore, although the forecast could still change, said Brian Hurley, a senior branch forecaster with the US Weather Prediction Center. Ice could down power lines and trigger blackouts. 

Washington, with its large federal workforce, is particularly sensitive to winter storms. Small amounts of snow often cause offices to close and snarl transit as drivers struggle to navigate the conditions and municipal agencies scramble to clear roads. 

Sleet, freezing rain and snow are set to start in Washington by 1am local time on Monday before changing to all snow by 7am, the National Weather Service said. The heaviest snow and ice will follow Interstate 70, an east-west highway that runs from Baltimore through St Louis and Kansas City, through the weekend. A wide area from Kansas east to the Appalachian Mountains will probably get eight inches or more of snow, Hurley said.

“DC and Baltimore will get theirs as well,” Hurley said. New York City will probably be too far north to get any heavy snow, but for now it is a “wait and see thing.”

Uploaded by Felyx Teoh