Federal government, schools announce delayed openings ahead of winter storm Thursday

Government agencies and school districts in the D.C. area announced plans for two-hour delayed openings Thursday in advance of a winter storm expected to hit the area in the early-morning hours. Winter weather advisories have been issued by the National Weather Service for much of the Washington and Baltimore region, which will see precipitation — probably in the form of sleet, freezing rain and plain rain — during the predawn hours, according to the Capital Weather Gang.