The “conversational snow” that fell upon the District last Tuesday and Sunday morning may have been mere glimpses of a veritable hellscape of snowy weather that some meteorological models predict will hit the region this Friday and last into the weekend.

Striving to serve the public interest as we always do, City Paper will tell you every day this week just how much to freak out about the coming weather.

What Does the Forecast Say?

According to AccuWeather, up to 50 million people in the eastern U.S. could experience the effects of a “major snowstorm,” with the D.C.–New York City corridor “within the swath most likely to receive the heaviest snow from the storm.” And:”If the storm develops to its full potential and takes a track just off the mid-Atlantic and New England coasts, then a blizzard can unfold,” AccuWeather reports, panicky emphasis ours. “The storm could shut down highways and perhaps cause airports to close. This is the type of storm that is likely to produce a very heavy rate of snow.” Fox5 seems similarly cautious about making precise predictions: “It’s too soon to tell exactly how much snow—if any, for sure—we might see locally.” (The bolds are theirs.) Capital Weather Gang puts the chance for eight or more inches of snow at 20 percent.

What Is Twitter Saying?

We’re seeing a wintery mix of curiosity and excitement:

Others are sending their prayers, or shedding tears, or overusing Emoji:

Your Monday Action Plan

Stay calm. You may just want to wait until Tuesday to raid your nearest grocery store. Or at least that’s what you should tell your friends to do, while you get a jump-start on them.

Today’s Snow Panic Index: 2/5

Illustration by Lauren Heneghan