In lieu of an ominous winter storm that is threatening the D.C. metro, the National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch for much of the metro area, except for southern Maryland.

The NWS issues winter storm watches when a potential exists for “significant” winter weather.

As of this morning, the watch indicates that at least five inches of snow are possible, with potentially higher amounts “somewhere within the watch area” Tuesday night into Wednesday evening.

Compounding the already potentially significant snow accumulations is the fact that the snow that falls will most likely be wet, creating the possibility for power outages due to the heaviness of the snow.

According to the Washington Post’s weather blog, “Capital Weather Gang”, the “bullseye” for snow accumulation is centered on northern Virginia, with I-70 the arbitrary dividing line for significant snow.

The most snow that D.C. has received on a single day in March is 11.5 inches in 1942. The winter of 1942 also yielded only 2.1 inches before the storm, comparable to the dismal snow drought that D.C. is currently facing. To this date, D.C. has only received 1.5 inches of snow; the 30 year average is 14.5 inches.

Updates to this story will continue as the forecast is adjusted.