WUSA9 has released its Winter Outlook for the 2026-2027 season, predicting significantly more snowfall across the Washington, D.C. region than other local forecasts released so far. The station is calling for 28 inches of snow in Rockville, 35 inches at Dulles International Airport, and 20 inches at Reagan National Airport.
The forecast, led by Chief Meteorologist Topper Shutt and WUSA9’s Weather Impact Team, is based largely on the expectation of a strong El Niño pattern this winter. According to WUSA9, the pattern could create an active storm track with numerous opportunities for snow, provided enough cold air is in place when storms arrive.
While strong El Niño winters can produce vastly different snowfall totals, Shutt believes this winter could favor snow lovers. WUSA9 pointed to the 1997-1998 winter, when D.C. received just 0.1 inches of snow, and the 2015-2016 winter, which featured the historic Blizzard of 2016, as examples of how dramatically snowfall can vary during strong El Niño years…