EMB ERJ 145 ER/LR
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument
Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
General None Reported / Taken
Weather; Aircraft
On the arrival into DCA; we experienced icing starting at 15;000 ft. Within 2 minutes it built up rapidly. Upon seeing the thickness on the window and judging how quickly it built; we immediately contacted center for a lower altitude and declared sever icing. Descending though about 10-11;000 ft.; we exited out of icing conditions. However; it took another 15 minutes for the ice to clear off the windshield due to the thickness and amount. We proceeded to cancel the next flight to ZZZ as we expected to encounter more icing along our route of flight and altitude. When we landed; there was still ice on the plane and at least a quarter inch thick of ice covering a 5-6 ft. spread on both sides of the radome. The ice was thick; coarse; and bumpy.Ensure the ice protection system is working properly.
EMB-145LR Captain reported entering icing conditions which exceeded deicing system limits.