Brace yourselves, Baltimore. The National Weather Service (NWS) has forecasted that the chill gripping the city will persist, with temperatures hovering below average through the middle of the week. If you're venturing out today, prepare for what the winds have in store—though not particularly forceful, gusts could make the upper 30s feel far more bracing, especially for folks in the higher altitudes, where wind chills could dip into the single digits.
According to the National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC, tonight's not offering much respite either, with expected lows in the 20s. In the mountains, however, the teens await. If you're in one of the "typical sheltered locations in the Shenandoah Valley and the rural areas of VA Piedmont," the mercury could plunge even further into the teens, courtesy of winds that refuse to quit.
This week's weather script remains much the same for Tuesday. The tenacious upper trough is still the headline act, bringing more dry and windy conditions that could send wind chills well into the upper 20s. Meteorologists at the NWS caution that we will see a brief temperature rise before a potent upper trough from the Great Lakes edges in on Wednesday. This system is expected to steer in the next batch of precipitation—with the Allegheny Front likely seeing up to 3 inches of the white stuff by Thursday morning, while those eastward could witness a rain-snow mashup if conditions align.
Come Thursday, a robust cold front barreling through in the morning will be potent enough to possibly push a gust-driven snow shower from the mountains toward lower terrains. It's not just snowflakes in the air—winds could ratchet up considerably, with wind gusts hitting the 40-55 mph mark in the mountains, and the National Weather Service suggests that "Wind Advisories, nearing High Wind Warning thresholds closer to the mountain peaks" might be on the cards. Down in the valleys, a brisk 30 to 40 mph gust could tug at your coat. Even as temperatures might nudge slightly warmer compared to previous days, the winds insist on a colder narrative, especially when the sun dips below the horizon.
For aviators and mariners, the story is one of continued vigilance. VFR conditions should prevail through Wednesday, but gusty northwest winds remain a constant companion. Pilots should anticipate gusts around 15-20 knots early this week, strengthening to 20-25 knots on Tuesday and swinging south-southwest at similar speeds on Wednesday. Mariners are set to encounter a “prolonged period of gusty northwesterly winds” starting today, with Small Craft Advisories (SCA) issued accordingly. Thursday’s front could usher in gale conditions across the waters, with an NWS advisory stating the possibility of "enhanced gale threat for all waters on Thursday into the night."
