Winter is far from over in Baltimore as residents steel themselves for multiple waves of low-pressure rolling this weekend, followed by a chill that would make even the hardiest soul shiver. According to the National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC, a high-pressure system will briefly grace the area before things take a turn for the cold and snowy.
Today, we should see near-normal temperatures and mostly sunny skies once drier air moves in and finally burns off the stubborn cloud layer above. However, the forecast warns to soon brace for what seems to be an all-snow event on Sunday. Ahead of the main event, some light rain or snow mix can be anticipated as a teaser on Saturday morning, especially over the higher terrain.
Sunday's quick-moving yet powerful system is more likely to accumulate snow throughout the day, with totals inching into the 1 to 4-inch range across most of the forecast area. Commuters and weekend wanderers should prepare for the potential impacts of the wintry weather.
Following this weekend's flurry, the coldest weather since December 2022 will sweep through early next week. Before relief arrives, temperatures around 20 degrees on Martin Luther King Jr. Day/Inauguration Day will pair with biting winds to perpetuate the freeze.
Aviation and marine interests won't escape unscathed with advisories already in place for both environments. Small Craft Advisories bedeck the marine forecast into the weekend. At the same time, aviators should anticipate VFR conditions through tonight but could face sub-VFR conditions accompanied by gusty winds and snow on Sunday.
As we hunker down in our warmest wares, the inexorable march of seasons promises that this cold snap, too, shall pass. A big warmup, relatively speaking, is forecasted to gradually thaw the iciness of this current weather spell later in the week. Until then, it's all about layers, folks, layers.
