Baltimore residents are advised to brace for what appears to be a prolonged stretch of dangerously low temperatures and possible snowfall, according to the latest forecasts from the National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC. In an area forecast discussion released at 2:40 AM EST, meteorologists emphasized the need for caution due to dangerously cold temperatures through this weekend, and have extended current cold weather advisories and warnings to reflect the seriousness of the situation.
With chilling Arctic air surging over the region, the National Weather Service has maintained its cold weather headlines, noting an expectation for river ice to see an uptick both in coverage and in thickness over the next few weeks; concurrently, segments of the area, particularly the mountains, will endure a period of mountain snow showers later today into tonight, with the possibility of receiving 1-3 inches of snow as the weather system progresses though this is made challenging as the forecast stretches further into the future, the accuracy tends to dip but these current alerts remain in place for the safety of all residents and their pets or livestock.
Meanwhile, a coastal system looms on the horizon for this weekend with forecasters watching closely for signs of a Nor'easter, which would mark its return after a period of relative absence from weather models. As it stands, forecasts suggest a very favorable storm pattern in terms of analogs for heavy snows in the Mid-Atlantic, but there's a degree of uncertainty, as future model runs will confirm whether this potential event is more than meteorological 'noise.'
In the interim, VFR conditions at local airports should remain unchanged through Wednesday, as stated by the National Weather Service; nevertheless, brisk conditions dominated by winds will be the primary operational concern for the aviation sector throughout the week, hence flyers are encouraged to keep tabs on the latest developments so that you can adjust your plans accordingly, especially as the weather pattern is better sampled and the energy associated with the potential storm arrives onshore from the western US.
At sea, mariners are facing their own set of advisories per the NWS warnings, with Freezing Spray Advisories and Small Craft Advisories in effect as of this morning, and the possibility of Gale Warnings in certain areas. Sailing buffs and professionals should keep updated with the National Weather Service's marine reports, as conditions are projected to intensify to Small Craft Advisory criteria by Thursday, requiring even greater precautions for those venturing onto the waters.
