WASHINGTON – The federal government says its offices in the Washington, D.C., area will be closed Wednesday as the nation’s capital braces for its first big snowfall of the winter.

The Office of Personnel Management says non-emergency employees of the federal government will be granted excused absences for Wednesday.

Forecasters were predicting as much as 10 inches of snow for Washington, with more predicted for the suburbs north and west of the district.

Airlines along the storm’s projected path have cut hundreds of flights, most of them at Dulles and Reagan National airports in the Washington area.