The Snowmageddon

The Lincoln Memorial covered in snow during the Snowmageddon.

On Saturday, February 6, 2010, Washington, D.C., got hit with Snowmageddon, the second major storm of the 2009-2010 winter season. I had thought that the Christmas storm was bad. (Just before Christmas, the Snowpocalypse dumped 16 inches of snow on the metro region.) But on February 6, Snowmageddon slammed us with another 18 inches of snow. Some areas near DC got as much as 33 inches in one day! And just when we thought things were already absurd (remember we only had one storm last year and all the snow melted by the afternoon), Snoverkill hit the region only 5 days later, dropping another 10 inches of snow on us.

United States flag and Capitol dome pelted with snow during the Snowmageddon.

Snowmageddon began Friday night and continued Saturday morning and throughout the day. With this much snow and the historic nature of the storm (just Snowpocalypse and Snowmageddon together pushed the District past its record snowfall for one season, which was set way back in 1898), I just had to go out and take some photos. I began taking photos of the Hill around and near Eastern Market.

Eastern Market covered in snow during the Snowmageddon.

The District couldn’t handle the snow. Businesses, bars, and restaurants all shut down.

The Hawk 'n Dove bar on Capitol Hill covered in snow during the Snowmageddon.

Most of the streets were uncleared. It was impossible to drive anywhere. Sidewalks were piled high with snow. People resorted to walking in the middle of the street. Some took to skis.

Some cross-country skiers near Eastern Market in Washington, DC, during the Snowmageddon.

And despite the freezing temperatures and continued snowfall, many DC residents decided it was time to play. A huge snowball fight erupted on the Mall.

Snowball fight on the National Mall during the Snowmageddon.

Snowball fight on the National Mall during the Snowmageddon.

The storm turned the Mall into a winter wonderland.

Merry-go-round in front of the Smithsonian on the National Mall during the Snowmageddon.

The Constitution Garden Pond looked particularly beautiful.

View of the Washington Monument from the Constitution Gardens Pond during the Snowmageddon.

I took many photos of the Mall on Saturday, but after wondering around the Hill and the Mall for 5 hours in a snowstorm, I got cold, tired, and hungry. So, I set out for home. As I walked home, the storm subsided and the sun began to set. I then encountered some of my best photo opportunities of the day.

Here are two of my favorites of the Washington Monument and the Tidal Basin.

I found this view of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum stunning.

Sunset over the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum at the end of the Snowmageddon.

With the exception of the few photos I took on my way home at the end of the day, most of my photos from Saturday were solid white, with a white sky over a white landscape. The bleakness of the photos provide some drama, demonstrating the severity of the storm. However, it would have been nice to get some more color.

On Monday, the snow still blanketed the District, but the Sky was blue and the sun was shinning. I decided to see if I could get some good sunset pictures of the Capitol. So, once again, I set out in the cold to stand knee deep in snow for a couple hours as I watched the sun slowly set over the district. And I’m glad I did. Here’s one of the Capitol at dusk:

A snow-covered Capitol at dusk shortly after the Snowmageddon.