A rainy Memorial Day weekend that canceled events and water park openings wasn’t enough to alleviate the drought plaguing Fairfax County and the rest of Virginia.
Almost the entire state remains under a drought warning, the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality announced today (Friday). The only exceptions are Isle of Wight County and a few cities in the southeast, which are under a drought watch.
The rain that’s expected to persist in the D.C. area throughout Memorial Day weekend has already put a damper on one summer tradition.
Tonight’s Friday Night Live! concert in Herndon has been canceled due to the inclement weather, organizers announced this morning (Friday).
The drought conditions plaguing parts of Virginia, including Fairfax County, since last fall are officially the worst the state has experienced in almost 20 years.
Yesterday (Thursday), the U.S. Drought Monitor classified over 60% of Virginia as being in a severe drought based on data collected through Tuesday (April 14). That’s the most widespread drought seen in the state since October 2007, surpassing levels recorded during previous droughts in 2008, 2010, 2023 and 2024, according to Fairfax County.
Fairfax County will get an early taste of summer over the next couple of days, with temperatures expected to climb into the low to mid-90s.
While the D.C. region is no stranger to those temperatures, it would set records for this time of the year, the county government said on its emergency blog, urging residents to “take heat safety seriously” today and tomorrow (Thursday).
After a warmer-than-usual start to spring, the D.C. region is expected to be hit overnight with a throwback blast of winter.
The National Weather Service has issued a Freeze Warning for much of the area, including Fairfax County, starting at midnight and continuing until 9 a.m. tomorrow (Wednesday).
A Tornado Watch and Severe Thunderstorm Warnings issued earlier today (Monday) for Fairfax County have been canceled or expired, but an Areal Flood Warning is now in effect until 6:30 p.m.
“Flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations is imminent or occurring,” the 3:33 p.m. alert said. “Streams continue to rise due to excess runoff from earlier rainfall. Low-water crossings are inundated with water and may not be passable.”
Fairfax County Public Schools will change up its schedule tomorrow (Monday) in anticipation of potentially severe weather, including thunderstorms and even possible tornadoes.
Instead of the more typical two-hour delayed opening, however, FCPS has announced that schools and administrative offices will close three hours early, forcing many families to scramble for last-minute child care plans.
While accumulations are limited, today’s snowfall was substantial enough to convince Fairfax County Public Schools to delay classes tomorrow (Tuesday).
All schools and central offices will open two hours late tomorrow after the National Weather Service issued an advisory warning of potentially challenging travel conditions during the morning rush hour.
Most Fairfax County residents woke up this morning (Monday) to a wintry landscape, but the amount of snow they saw varied depending on exactly where in the county they live.
Snow accumulations from the storm that arrived in the D.C. region yesterday (Sunday) afternoon ranged from a mere inch in the Mount Vernon area to 4.5 inches in Reston, the highest amount recorded in the county, according to preliminary data from the National Weather Service.
After initially planning a two-hour delay, Fairfax County Public Schools has now canceled classes tomorrow (Monday) as snow has begun to accumulate across the D.C. region.
“Due to the worsening weather conditions, and after careful consideration, all FCPS schools and central offices will now be closed Monday, February 23, 2026,” FCPS said in an update issued shortly after 6:20 p.m.
