Countdown to snow
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory from noon-10 p.m. with accumulations of 1-2 inches. They are also warning that the afternoon commute will be impacted.
See snowfall accumulation map here.
UPDATE: Winter weather advisory has been lifted for the city with less than an inch expected, Steve Kilar of the Baltimore Sun reports.
The warm ground will probably prevent much snow from sticking on pavement and the accumulation on grass will likely also seem minimal, said meteorologist Ken Widelski.
Precipitation is expected to continue until about 8 p.m. in Baltimore and along the I-95 corridor. Read more here.
UPDATE: As snow starts to fall, cancellations begin. Area school systems, including Baltimore, Carroll, Harford and Howard counties, have canceled afternoon and evening activities. D.C. area federal offices are open but employees, concerned about commutes, are allowed to take unscheduled leave. Read the latest here.
"LIGHT SNOW WILL OVERSPREAD THE REGION FROM WEST TO EAST
BETWEEN 11 AM AND 2 PM. A PERIOD OF MODERATE SNOW CAN BE
EXPECTED DURING THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING RUSH HOUR. STEADY
SNOW WILL TAPER OFF FROM WEST TO EAST DURING THE MID TO LATE
EVENING.
HAZARDOUS TRAVEL DUE TO LOW VISIBILITIES AT TIMES AND
SNOW-COVERED ROADWAYS...ESPECIALLY UNTREATED SECONDARY ROADS.
THE LATE AFTERNOON AND EVENING RUSH-HOUR COMMUTE WILL BE
IMPACTED."
Here Baltimore professional meteorologist Eric the Red's take:
"Models continue to have difficulties with the extent of the precipitation as seen on current radar, so despite the fact that there really isn't much support for the high end of my estimate (the 4"), I still think that there will be some folks in the coldest locales well north of town that will push the 4" threshold. If I had to tweak, it would be to expand the lower end a notch... and go with 1 to 4". The 1" snow amounts are most likely in the typically warmer locales, like along and east of I-95... and down to the south toward DC. But overall, I think 1-4" will cover it, with most folks in the Piedmont getting 2 to 3."
