A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for Maryland through Tuesday morning. Most areas will see 2 to 4 inches with far Western Maryland likely picking up between 3 to 6 inches.
Flurries were flying across Maryland as many of you headed out the door this morning. After a midday lull, another round of snow ramped up this afternoon. The snow started off light but will quickly pick up by the evening commute. Please watch for slick spots if you need to be on the roads today or tomorrow night.
- WIND: When the snow is falling, tonight into Tuesday morning, the wind looks LIGHT out of the north, 5 to 10 mph. Blowing and drifting do NOT look like a problem. Late Tuesday afternoon and evening will turn windy and even colder, but by then, snow will have ended.
- TEMPERATURES: Temperatures will be in the upper 20s to near 30 degrees while the snow is falling. Road chemicals are very effective in these types of temperatures. Untreated surfaces will be slippery, but treated surfaces will be wet or lightly slushy. Temperatures will fall into the teens Tuesday night with wind-chills in the single digits.
- IMPACTS: Given the timing of snow during the Tuesday morning commute, school delays are likely. Tuesday morning’s commute will be much slower than normal given falling snow, road crews treating highways, and wet to locally slick conditions. Tuesday evening’s commute should be better, but COLD and WIND are to be expected. Any leftover untreated surfaces will turn ICY as temperatures plunge and we’ll be concerned about a REFREEZE Tuesday evening and night with any leftover standing snow or melted snow from earlier in the day.
WHEN: Steadiest snow looks to fall late this evening through Tuesday morning. This will NOT be a major storm, but it is the first widespread significant winter weather event we’ve seen in a few years. People need to reacclimate themselves by driving in snowy conditions.
We will need to carefully keep an eye out on Monday afternoon and early evening. Some models try to bring the snow in a little earlier. There isn’t full agreement on this, but it’s something we’ll be watching.
Right now, indications are if this does happen, the snow would be light and not very problematic, but it’s something we’re flagging and we’ll be watching in case the situation escalates.
ALSO NOTEWORTHY: Road treatment chemicals work best with temperatures above 20°F. Therefore, any leftover snow/melted snow on roads/sidewalks will turn to ICE even if treated Tuesday night. It’s important people clear this snow off their driveways, sidewalks and paths so Wednesday morning isn’t so slippery. Winds will help dry many surfaces out, so hopefully this won’t be a widespread issue Wednesday morning.
GOOD NEWS: The snow will be ideal for sledding and snowball-making. There won’t be too much of it (not expecting more than 4 inches) to remove, so it will not be dangerous to shovel.
Maryland Transportation Secretary Paul Wiedefeld, speaking early Monday evening, seemed satisfied with the response to the storm. He said teams have been preparing for two days.
”Across the entire state, we have weather experts and we monitor conditions and roadway temperatures,” he said. “We use our own resources and contractual resources. I don’t anticipate any issue.”
Tuesday
Snow gradually tapers off by lunch time. Partial clearing, windy and very cold during the afternoon. Temperatures falling into the 20s. Wind-chills falling into the teens by evening.
Rest of the Week
Very cold, but quiet weather is likely Wednesday into Thursday. Wednesday will be the colder day, despite sunshine, with highs near 30, but wind-chills mainly in the teens. Thursday will be mostly cloudy with highs in the middle 30s.
Another chance of snow is possible on Friday. It’s still too early to know if this storm will be more of a nuisance or deliver a more potentially significant snowfall. We’ll have clearer information about this snow potential as the week evolves. Stay tuned.
Pamela Wood contributed reporting.
