Batten down the hatches, Baltimore: a series of potent weather conditions is rolling through the region this week, bringing gusty winds and potential power outages. The National Weather Service in Baltimore/Washington has warned that a cold front is descending today. It is expected to stir up the atmosphere into Wednesday and Thursday. A wave of low pressure is also tracking across the Northeast, leading to high pressure building over the area later in the week. This meteorological rollercoaster ride doesn't end there—it heads offshore Thursday night, making way for low pressure from the Midwest, which promises to bring some drama for the weekend.
Today's daytime saga features a "downslope wind event," with gusts creeping up to 65 mph. As the National Weather Service cited, this is potent enough to merit an expansion of Wind Advisory to the I-81 corridor. Baltimore residents can expect a brief respite in the afternoon before the winds pick up again at night, potentially causing more power outages. With gusts between 45 and 55 mph looking increasingly likely on the horizon, additional wind headlines may soon follow suit.
Wednesday won't offer much calm, with the NWS predicting a more widespread wind event. Some regions, especially northwest of I-95 in Maryland and northwest of US-29 in Virginia, back west toward the eastern slopes of the Appalachians, could see wind gusts hitting the 40-50 mph mark or possibly higher. At the same time, Thursday promises to dial it back a notch with not nearly as windy conditions and cooler weather. A new system from the Midwest approaches by evening, likely bringing precipitation overnight into Friday.
As low pressure takes the weather wheel, rainfall is on the slate for Friday, though temperatures could climb well into the 50s despite the inclement conditions. A cold front sweeping through on Friday night could see localized rainfall exceed an inch, followed by a return to seasonal averages over the weekend. A zonal jet setting up farther north could mean changes are afoot heading into next week. With multiple shortwave troughs eyed in the forecast, Baltimore might just see a spike into above-normal temperatures by Monday as the low draws warmer air northward, according to the National Weather Service discussion.
Aviation and maritime operations are not immune to this week's upheaval. West to northwest winds gusting up to 30 knots could play havoc with flights this afternoon, and Low-Level Wind Shear (LLWS) risk looms into Wednesday. Mariners face similar conditions, with Small Craft Advisories flagged today and possible gale conditions eyed for Wednesday. As the fronts shift, mariners and pilots should anticipate a switch in conditions heading towards the weekend, moving from gusty southwest winds to northerly breezes by Saturday.
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