Baltimore residents, brace yourselves for a wintry slap from Mother Nature. According to the National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC, a strong arctic front has swept through the area, bringing with it gusty winds, plummeting temperatures, and a generous dusting of snow. Expect "bitterly cold wind chills in the single digits by this afternoon," especially since said temperatures have likely already peaked for the day.
The weather forecast remains consistent with earlier predictions. Snow has practically blanketed the I-70 corridor, with a new band forming over the Potomac Highlands. As day transitions into night, temperatures are expected to harshly drop into the teen-zone. The winds are just another punch to the gut, gusting between 30-40 mph. For those living in the mountains, prepare to bundle well—wind chills are predicted to hit the negative teens.
Travel will be dicey with "accumulations south of those areas likely hindered a bit due to thermodynamic issues," resulting in lighter snowfalls that refuse to stick readily. Snowfall is expected to rapidly taper off during the morning, easing from west to east between 6-10 AM. The weather advisory cautions that residents should finish preparations before the "worst of this arctic blast sets in."
Looking ahead to the start of the workweek, high pressure is expected to smother the region by Monday, which will finally give those brutal winds a chance to subside. Highs will barely nudge the freezing mark, while mountain areas won't even make it out of the teens. Tuesday promises a mild respite, with temperatures expected to rise to the more pleasant upper 30s as high pressure shifts offshore and winds turn southerly.
In maritime developments, visibility on the waterways this morning is being pummeled by "bands of snow, heavy at times," making navigation a real challenge. Gale warnings have been hoisted as expected, from early afternoon into Sunday night, with winds whipping up large, icy waves. Boaters should exercise extreme caution or, better yet, stay in port until Gale conditions dwindle early Monday morning. Meanwhile, on land, blowout tides are likely along the western shore of the Chesapeake Bay due to those pesky gusty northwest winds, necessitating Low Water Advisories as early as this evening.
