AccuWeather.com reports up to a foot of heavy snowfall this weekend for the Washington, D.C., metro area has the potential to impact President Obama's health care initiative, which is set to be voted on by Christmas.
The snow could delay travel for many senators, who will need to be in the nation's capital for what is expected to be a weekend full of several late-night and early-morning votes.
The Senate may vote on health care as soon as Christmas Eve.
AccuWeather.com meteorologists are forecasting 6-10 inches of snow for the region, with potential for a foot or more as the storm continues to develop.
The snow is set to begin late this evening and continue through the day on Saturday.
AccuWeather.com Chief Meteorologist and Expert Long-Range Forecaster Joe Bastardi said that the snowfall will be "paralyzing" from the Interstate-95 corridor and southeastward.
He also added the eastern side of the Capital District will see blizzard conditions.
A spokesman for Congressman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.) said, "Washington [D.C.] is known as a place that gets three snowflakes and falls apart."
However, many senators live directly within the D.C. metro area, or in Virginia, only a short drive from the Capitol.
"The federal government shuts down, but Congress doesn't," said the spokesman.
Jesse Broder Van Dyke, spokesman for Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), said the impending weather conditions shouldn't delay the senator from voting, however, if travel becomes impossible, the senator may not be able to make it to the Capitol.
"Sen. Akaka lives in Virginia, and if the bridges aren't open and travel isn't safe he won't be able to vote in-person," said Broder Van Dyke.
Broder Van Dyke has worked on behalf of Sen. Akaka for more than three years and this is the most snow he has seen forecasted for the area since he started.
He doesn't think the weather will impede Congress.
"Obama is used to snow, being from Chicago, so the vote will go on," Broder Van Dyke said.
A spokeswoman from Sen. John Kerry's (D-Mass.) office also confirmed that the 7 a.m. vote scheduled for tomorrow is set to begin without delay.
Story by AccuWeather.com writers Carly Porter and Gina Cherundolo
