Snow showers Friday in Maryland, dangerously cold weather this weekend
A powerful Arctic cold front will bring snow showers to Maryland on Friday afternoon and evening. Dangerously cold temperatures and powerful winds will follow late Friday night through Sunday morning.
The entire state of Maryland will be under a High Wind Warning early Saturday morning through Saturday evening. Winds will gust 50 to 60 mph at times, possibly causing localized power outages and downed tree limbs.
An Extreme Cold Warning will be in effect for Howard, Baltimore, Harford, Cecil, Kent, Queen Anne's, Talbot, and Caroline counties from Saturday through Sunday morning.
The cold will be dangerous to humans and pets, so we advise everyone to stay inside if possible. Wind-chills may dip as low as -10° to -15° in some of the coldest neighborhoods. Frostbite and hypothermia can develop in under an hour in these conditions.
Carroll and Anne Arundel counties will be under a Cold Weather Advisory for wind-chills as low as -13°F.
Garrett County will be under a Winter Storm Warning through 7 a.m. on Saturday for 6 to 8 inches of snow, 50 to 60 mph wind gusts, and near blizzard conditions. Travel may become nearly impossible on Friday afternoon and night.
Timeline for snow in Baltimore Friday
Friday is a First Alert Weather Day for the risk of slick travel during the evening commute and any plans after sunset.
The Friday morning commute brought cold temperatures and icy conditions with the refreeze from the overnight. Clouds will continue to thicken through early afternoon, but dry travel should remain dry through mid-afternoon.
Central and eastern Maryland will see light snow and snow showers develop between 2 p.m. and 11 p.m.
While snow intensity should remain light, it could lead to some icy patches on roadways, especially if left untreated. In addition to widespread light snow showers, a few embedded heavier snow squalls are possible, which would dramatically reduce visibility for a brief time.
Temperatures will plunge early Saturday morning. This will lead to a greater risk of slippery travel well after midnight, despite forecast snowfall of only a dusting to an inch. Traveling Friday night and early Saturday morning could be very slick. Please use extra caution. Overnight lows Friday into Saturday will dip down into the lower to middle teens.
Snow will be heavy in the mountains of western Maryland and accompanied by strong winds through the day. Driving on I-68 may become dangerous, particularly in Garrett County on Friday. A Winter Storm Warning is in effect for Garrett County.
Frigid weather and wind this weekend
The WJZ First Alert Weather Team continues the First Alert Weather Days Saturday and Sunday for dangerously cold wind-chill temperatures. In addition to the dangerous cold on Saturday, frequent wind gusts will reach the 45 to 55 mph range. A few of the gusts could occasionally top out at nearly 60 mph. This could cause localized power outages, so please charge your devices before Saturday morning.
Temperatures will be in the low to mid-teens as winds ramp up early Saturday morning. We'll only reach the low 20s during the afternoon. Winds chills will average -15° to 0° across the metro Saturday morning. The First Alert Weather Team expects wind chills between -5° and 5° farther south and east. Dangerously cold wind-chills will continue through early Sunday morning.
While still blustery, winds won't be as strong on Sunday. But Sunday morning will be even colder, single digits. Winds chills will drop well below zero once again. Temperatures peak in the upper teens and lower 20s on Sunday afternoon. A few more flurries or snow showers are possible late Saturday into Sunday.
A warming trend kicks into gear next week with temperatures approaching 40° by Tuesday. There is a possibility of more unsettled weather by mid-week, into Valentine's Day weekend.