The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a winter storm warning for parts of Maryland and Virginia on Sunday, along with a winter weather advisory for Washington, D.C., where snow is expected the same day President-elect Donald Trump is scheduled to host his pre-inaugural "Make America Great Again" rally.
Newsweek has reached out to the Trump-Vance inaugural committee press team for comment via email on Saturday.
Why It Matters
Trump will be sworn into office on Monday as the nation's 47th president. It is expected to be the coldest Inauguration Day since former President Ronald Reagan's second inauguration in 1985, which was the last time the event was held inside. The president-elect has moved Monday's inauguration inside due to freezing temperatures.
Cold weather and hazardous travel conditions may lead to a smaller turnout for Trump's inauguration weekend.
In 2017, Trump claimed large crowds attended his inauguration, but photos showed significant gaps compared to other presidential inaugurations. Comments about crowd size were a major topic of discussion during the 2024 election, with Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris frequently criticizing each other's, and likely will be a topic this inauguration.
What To Know
The Baltimore and Washington D.C. NWS has issued a winter storm warning for neighboring north central, northern, and western Maryland, northern and northwest Virginia, and the panhandle of West Virginia. Most are in effect from 7 a.m. ET to 7 p.m. ET on Sunday, with areas averaging between 3 to 6 inches of snow, with some up to 8 or 10 inches.
Washington, D.C., is under a winter weather advisory from 7 a.m. ET to 7 p.m. ET Sunday, with snow expected to start in the morning and continue throughout the afternoon, stopping before nightfall. The NWS estimates between 2 and 4 inches of snow in the capital on Sunday, adding that "snowfall rates could approach 1 inch an hour at times."
"The hazardous conditions will impact travel," and "temperatures will fall into the teens Sunday night so any lingering moisture on area roadways will freeze," the NWS said, which urged people to take extra caution when traveling.
In addition to the snow, temperatures in the capital are expected to drop to 10 degrees Fahrenheit on Monday evening.
Trump is hosting a pre-inaugural rally on Sunday, which is set to start at 3 p.m. ET, with doors opening at 1 p.m. ET, meaning supporters are likely to be standing outside during the snowfall.
Several notable Trump allies are slated to speak at the rally, including billionaire Elon Musk, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Dana White, and Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk, among others. The Village People, Billy Ray Cyrus, and Kid Rock are all expected to perform at the rally.
What People Are Saying
President-elect Donald Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Friday: "It is my obligation to protect the People of our Country but, before we even begin, we have to think of the Inauguration itself. The weather forecast for Washington, D.C., with the windchill factor, could take temperatures into severe record lows... I don't want to see people hurt, or injured, in any way. It is dangerous conditions...Therefore, I have ordered the Inauguration Address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda."
Beth Willon, press secretary for Democratic California state Senator Dave Cortese, in a post to X, formerly Twitter: "#WimpBehavior It was 24 degrees during @BarackObama's first inauguration in 2009. I was there with 3 layers of clothes on & thousands showed up."
Susan Rice, who served in key roles in the Obama and Biden administrations, on X simply wrote: "SNOWFLAKES"
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, the 2024 Democratic vice presidential nominee, while sharing a picture of himself outdoors during winter on X: "There's no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing."
What Happens Next
The rally will take place indoors at the Capital One Arena, with Trump's inauguration is expected to move forward indoors at the Capitol rotunda at noon on Monday.
While the forecast could change to some degree, freezing conditions are nearly certain outside. President Joe Biden, former Presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush are expected to be in attendance.
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