Several inches of snow possible Thurs. night

In any event, there's not much moisture with the system, NWS forecasters say. So they're not terribly concerned about accumulations. "If there were to be any snow accumulation, it would be spotty along the Pa. border," the discussion from Sterling advises.

Eric the Red urges caution when you step out Wednesday morning: "Be alert ... for pockets of freezing rain ... Most urban areas will be rain, but outside the beltways could be dicey."

The weather service describes the storm as carrying more moisture than tonight's, but dropping down from the Great Lakes and intensifying off the coast to our east Friday.

"Low-level thickness [of cold air] supports wintry precipitation further south than the mid-week upper wave," Sterling says. "Chances for snow a bit better across the area, but again only light [precipitation] expected, and of a scattered and intermittent nature."

Eric the Red sees it this way: "...[A] swath of snow north of the storm center and a mixed mess along and south of the storm track. This would put much of northern VA and central/northern MD in line for several inches of snow. The [model] consensus is 2-4"... with some heavier (the WRF/NAM looks more like 4-8", and the Canadian is heavier too), while the GFS is a bit lighter (1-3").

"I kinda like the 2-4" forecast meself ... Friday morning rush hour looks like fun."

Much depends on the storm tracks. Eric lays down three scenarios: "1) Storm is faster and weaker, and produces a quick-hitting trace to an inch... if that. 2) The storm tracks farther north, and gives us sleet and freezing rain instead of snow. 3) The storm deepens more rapidly than expected, which would push totals up."

Foot's Forecast advises: "This potential second round of winter weather would understandably wreak havoc with school schedules in areas just affected by today's event. School administrators faced with the task of rescheduling mid-terms are advised to continue monitoring statements by their local NWS forecast office as well as our regional facebook forecast centers for the latest developments on this possible "round two."

(SUN PHOTO: Jeffrey Bill)