November 21, 2024

Thursday Morning Report

The squall line last night validated and even overachieved expectations. Winds gusted over 50 mph in many areas AND much needed rainfall added up to 0.94” in Baltimore through midnight. More was added afterward.

Colder air and a large upper-level trough will settle in Pennsylvania on Friday. This will bring in a taste of winter. The expectations for snow have now expanded to Central Maryland, and yes, it might be cold enough for some stickage on grassy areas.

A Winter Storm Warning is in place for the high mountains of far Western Maryland and West Virginia. Snow is still expected to reach 1-foot accumulation along with 50 mph winds.

Let’s take a look……

Morning Surface Weather

Storm 1, which brought us rain and wind, is moving away and sending much-needed rain to the drought areas of Metro New York and New England.

Storm 2 is the main event that will pivot from the Great Lakes and nearly stall in Pennsylvania on Friday. This will include a strong upper-level source of cold air and instability. Snow will spread our way and enhance over the Appalachian mountains.

Weather Preview

Storm Animation Today through Saturday Night

Watch the main storm spin in PA and pivot the next wave of energy that will enhance the snow on Friday, then pull away this weekend.

Jet Stream Friday Morning

The core of the cold air will be over our region. There is a trough swinging through the Southeast US with enough enhanced energy to develop snow.

Snow and Rain Mix Friday

Notice the blue shading (snow) into metro Baltimore. A closer look is below.

TODAY

Wind Forecast 7 AM to 7 PM

Wind Gusts at Noon

The stronger winds will be moving east, so it will be less windy this afternoon.

Radar Simulation: Noon to Midnight

There will be some showers with rain and maybe flakes after dark.

Heavy snow will get going in the mountains.

Afternoon Temperatures

Radar Simulation Tonight

7 PM Wed to 7 AM Thu

CLIMATE DATA: Baltimore

TODAY November 21

Sunrise at 6:57 AM

Sunset at 4:48 PM

Normal Low in Baltimore:  35ºF

Record 16ºF in 1951

Normal High in Baltimore: 55ºF

Record 79ºF 1900

Baltimore Drought Update

• 0.94” of rain fell Thursday… The updated deficit:
• 6.66 inches BELOW AVERAGE rainfall since September 1st
• 7.12 inches BELOW AVERAGE rainfall since January 1st
• THE BURN BAN REMAINS IN PLACE

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 22

Turning colder with developing snow from the North, and it will reach the northern suburbs during the morning.

Snow will mix with rain near and south of Baltimore.

Heavy snow will be raging in the mountains.

Morning Temperatures

Morning Radar Simulation

Radar Forecast 7 AM to Midnight

Winds At Noon

Afternoon Radar

Afternoon Temperatures

WINTER STORM WARNING

This includes Garrett County, MD, and the high mountains of PA and WV.

Snow 6 to 12+ inches with wind gusts to 50 mph.

Note this is over the extreme drought region and is much needed.

Snow Roads Profile

Snow Forecast Models

There is a lot of agreement between the GFS and ECMWF.

Yes, I see a dusting or more on the grassy areas north of Baltimore.

GFS

ECMWF

NAM 3Km

In Case You Missed It

My Winter Outlook Report

7 Day Forecast

• Colder air will continue to spill in through Saturday.
• Some rain showers later today with a mix of flakes.
• Heavy snow develops in the mountains.
• Snow and mixed showers will expand into Central Maryland on Friday.
• Briefly mild early next week. Then, rain on Wednesday may set up a colder Thanksgiving storm.

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Maryland Trek 11 Day 7 Completed Sat August 10

We raised OVER $104,000 for Just In Power Kids – AND Still Collecting More

The annual event: Hiking and biking 329 miles in 7 days between The Summit of Wisp to Ocean City.

Each day, we honor a kid and their family’s cancer journey.

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RESTATING MY MESSAGE ABOUT DYSLEXIA

I am aware there are some spelling and grammar typos and occasional other glitches. I take responsibility for my mistakes and even the computer glitches I may miss. I have made a few public statements over the years, but if you are new here, you may have missed it: I have dyslexia and found out during my second year at Cornell University. It didn’t stop me from getting my meteorology degree and being the first to get the AMS CBM in the Baltimore/Washington region.

One of my professors told me that I had made it that far without knowing and to not let it be a crutch going forward. That was Mark Wysocki, and he was absolutely correct! I do miss my mistakes in my own proofreading. The autocorrect spell check on my computer sometimes does an injustice to make it worse. I also can make mistakes in forecasting. No one is perfect at predicting the future. All of the maps and information are accurate. The ‘wordy’ stuff can get sticky. 

There has been no editor who can check my work while writing and to have it ready to send out in a newsworthy timeline. Barbara Werner is a member of the web team that helps me maintain this site. She has taken it upon herself to edit typos when she is available. That could be AFTER you read this. I accept this and perhaps proves what you read is really from me… It’s part of my charm. #FITF

A former middle school teacher who repeatedly sexually abused a 14-year-old student in Maryland has been sentenced to three decades in prison, but she’ll only serve one year, a judge ruled.

Melissa Marie Curtis, 32, pleaded guilty to three counts of a third-degree sex offense on June 20, according to information from the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office and District Court of Maryland court papers obtained by USA TODAY on Wednesday.

The Montgomery County Police Department initiated an investigation in early October 2023 when the eighth-grade victim, now an adult, reported he was sexually abused by Curtis who was a teacher at Montgomery Village Middle School, according to a previous news release from the agency.

At the time of the offenses, detectives reported, the student was 14 years old and Curtis was 22.

Bleach, a burning car and a body: Man arrested in Tennessee after dancer’s body found in back of car along Arizona highway

Judge: Teacher to serve 12 months in jail

Curtis, who is from the town of Upper Marlboro in Prince George’s County, was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Friday, a spokesperson for the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office told USA TODAY Wednesday.

But Montgomery County Circuit Court Judge Theresa Chernosky suspended most of Curtis’ sentence, allowing her to serve 12 months year in jail followed by five years of supervised probation, the spokesperson said.

When she is released, Curtis must register as a sex offender, the spokesperson said, and will not be permitted to have unsupervised contact with minors other than her children.

The prosecutors office did not respond to a request for comment about the sentencing.

Teacher abused 14-year-old in classroom, car, at home

The victim told detectives the abuse began in 2015, the spokesperson said, when he volunteered for an after-school program that Curtis was running and “they were often alone together”

Charging documents show the victim told detectives Curtis sexually abused him in a classroom, in a car, at his home, and as well as Curtis’ home “more than 20 times” when he was in middle school. The complaint goes onto say Curtis also gave the boy drugs and alcohol multiple times.

A warrant for Curtis’s arrest was obtained on Oct. 31, 2023 and Curtis turned herself in on Nov. 7, 2023, officials reported.

At the time, Curtis had been a teacher for about two years in Montgomery County and taught at Lakelands Park Middle School as well.

A spokesperson told Fox 5 Curtis left Montgomery County Public Schools in 2017.

USA TODAY has reached out to Montgomery County Public Schools.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.