Baltimore residents awoke to the gentle touch of snow this morning, but don't expect a winter wonderland to stick around for too long. According to the National Weather Service Baltimore, an area of low pressure is moving offshore, so those picturesque backside snow showers sweeping across the region will soon yield to dominating high pressure, promising clearer skies late in the week. Commuters faced a brief nuisance with a Winter Weather Advisory in effect for the metro areas from 7 AM to 11 AM for light snow accumulations up to an inch, which isn't as serene as it sounds when it times perfectly with the morning rush hour.
The advisory for the Allegheny Front is a bit steeper — 3 to 5 inches accumulations are expected through 7 AM Friday, with those in the know gearing up for a more prolonged engagement with Old Man Winter. Winds are also expected to pick up, intensifying through the day, with 25 to 35 knots gusts. Residents across ridgetops will be bracing for gusts exceeding 40 knots, but it's not enough to conjure up a Wind Advisory. Winds paired with the frigid temperatures prompted a Cold Weather Advisory; wind chills could dive as low as 15 degrees below zero tonight, so bundle up if you're out there.
Looking forward to Friday and Saturday, the snow takes a backseat, drying up but leaving a lingering cold and blustery memory in its wake. Temperatures are expected to climb, with highs reaching into the more tolerable mid to upper 30s east of the mountains. The sun should make a welcome appearance on both days, with high pressure settling in and the winds finally losing their edge by Saturday, bending from the south to southwest, which should bring in a touch of warmth to thaw the chill in the air.
For those already yearning for the quintessential spring feel, the long-term forecast doesn't disappoint. Sunday through Wednesday suggests a steady warm-up and high temperatures will resume their familiar courtship at 50 degrees. Meanwhile, the aviation outlook holds some good news as well. VFR conditions are expected to prevail on Friday and Saturday, and marine conditions, while rough today through Friday morning with Gale Warnings in place, will ease into more peaceful waters by the weekend, setting the stage for a serene start to next week.
