Maryland Weather: Alert Day, chilly rain for the Ravens game

BALTIMORE — An area of low pressure moves in today producing rain, snow, and wind for the region. Be sure to stay tuned to the First Alert team for updates throughout the day.

• WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FOR CARROLL, FREDERICK, WASHINGTON, ALLEGANY & GARRETT CO FROM SATURDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY EVENING FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW & ICE ACCUMULATIONS. 
• WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR CENTRAL & NORTHERN BALTIMORE CO., HARFORD CO. AND ALL OF HOWARD COUNTY UNTIL SATURDAY EVENING. SOUTHEAST HOWARD CO. EXPIRES AT 2 PM.

• SATURDAY & SATURDAY NIGHT: We start the day with mostly cloudy skies. Precipitation moves in from the south through the mid-morning hours. Areas along I-95 start as a wintry mix/snow before changing over to rain. Areas west of I-95 have the best chance for starting and staying as snow for a longer period of time.

A wintry mix will occur across the region throughout the morning into the afternoon with a gradual changeover to all rain as the day progresses. There have been some changes to the forecast. Warmer air in the upper atmosphere is now forecast to get pulled into the system, leading to more of a wintry mix than just all snow. This means snow, sleet and freezing rain will be possible. The most significant and prolonged accumulations of snow and ice will occur for areas west and north of the Beltway where 1-3″ of mixed precipitation will fall. Lower totals close to the Beltway, higher totals the closer to the PA border and west toward Carroll & Frederick Co. 

In Baltimore, a trace to an inch will fall before changing to rain. Accumulations will range from hardly any near Downtown to about an inch on the west and north sides of the Beltway and places like Pikesville, Towson, Woodlawn, Owings Mills.

Areas farther north toward Westminster, Thurmont & Emmittsburg, Parkton, Whitehall, Shawsville and Dublin could see up to 3″ of snow and sleet accumulations with some light icing. Areas farther north will likely stay all snow longer before the precip becomes mixed then change over to rain. 

BALTIMORE SHOULD CHANGEOVER FROM MIXED PRECIP TO ALL RAIN BY NOON SATURDAY OR SHORTLY THEREAFTER. 

AREAS FARTHER NORTH WILL TAKE LONGER TO CHANGE OVER, SO A MORE PROLONGED PERIOD OF WINTRY WEATHER IS EXPECTED BEFORE CHANGING TO ALL RAIN, WHICH SHOULD OCCUR BY LATE AFTERNOON, IF NOT EARLIER. 

WESTERN MARYLAND WILL SEE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS WITH TRAVEL DIFFICULT TO IMPOSSIBLE THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT FROM US 15 IN FREDERICK CO. AND POINTS WEST INTO GARRETT CO. ALONG WITH ADJACENT PORTIONS OF THE WEST VIRGINIA PANHANDLE AND SOUTHWEST PENNSYLVANIA. 

Temperatures look to stay above the freezing mark in Baltimore county through much of the day and night—although it will be a very chilly rain. Other impacts with this system include gusty winds and some areas of flooding.

Sunday

Leftover precipitation is possible, mainly in the morning hours. Once this system departs, it will take the moisture with it pretty quickly. We can expect mostly cloudy skies through the morning giving way to partly sunny skies for the afternoon with high temperatures in the low to mid-40s. It’s also breezy on Sunday with peak gusts near 25 mph.

Sunday Night

Calmer and drier skies stick around for the next few days with partly cloudy skies. It’s a chilly night ahead with lows in the low 30s.

Monday

We start the week off with quiet conditions. It’s mostly sunny on Monday with high temperatures in the mid-40s.

Another potent system eyes the region and should spread rain into the area by Tuesday. Yes, I said it, rain. A very brief period of a wintry mix is possible, but temperatures climb into the upper 50s on Tuesday. It does appear to be a washout, so be sure to take the umbrella and pack the patience if traveling. Rain and wind continue into Tuesday night.

We dry out by Wednesday afternoon with a lingering breeze and partly sunny skies.

Be sure to check back with the WJZ First Alert weather team for updates.