St. Patrick’s Day brought a lot of white to the Northern Virginia area. All area schools were closed and school activities canceled. Different parts of Virginia and Maryland saw five to nine inches of snow. Snow began Sunday night and accumulated early quickly. St. Patrick’s Day was a more subdued affair since much of the area was a lot quieter. Along Collingwood Road in Alexandria, it seemed like only these male northern red cardinals were out surveying the effects of the storm while singing to other nearby birds.

Snow fell across Virginia and parts of Maryland and shut down the schools and government on St. Patrick’s Day Monday. This marks the 11th snow day this season. School has already been extended to June 24 in Fairfax County. Many are wondering if this is the last snow storm of the winter. Well, at least hoping. The polar vortex has been delivery the area’s coldest days in decades for this time of year.