Washington area residents awoke to the first snowflakes of the season on Wednesday. By late afternoon, the steady light snow had covered trees and city benches, though accumulation was limited to between 1 and 2 inches across most of the area. Observer staffer Max Ashburn took these images of downtown Washington, turned into a winter wonderland. Residents won’t have long to enjoy the snow however, as temperatures are expected to climb back into the 50s by next week.