All signs are pointing to this being a big one!
The storm is taking shape and getting ready to move into Maryland tomorrow. Right now, it is pounding the Gulf Coast states with heavy rain and thunderstorms. Not only is the storm growing in strength, but it is also growing in size. The rain shield is expanding all the way up into Kentucky and over through Georgia. This storm will continue to get more organized as it moves our way...and that's when it will move into cold air.
Clouds will move in tonight, then the precipitation will break out midday tomorrow. A Winter Storm Warning goes into effect starting at 10 am Friday, but it could be a few hours after that before we really start to see anything around here. This storm will have a lot of moisture with it when it arrives, will draw in even more Atlantic moisture along the way, and will even squeeze out more moisture as it intensifies while it moves past us. There is going to be a variety of precipitation coming down from the sky, but most of it for most of us will be in the form of snow - and heavy snow.
From D.C. over to Easton, this will start as snow. Some sleet could mix in tomorrow evening as the storm gets cranking. But for extreme southern Maryland and the southern counties on the Eastern Shore, the mix will change to rain for a while - and heavy rain. However, the cold air will eventually win out again for everyone and we will all end as accumulating snow. Yes, even down to the beaches...although there will be a lot less there since a lot of this storm will come down in the form of rain and a wintry mix.
Now, this is not a storm to mess around with. You are probably hearing a lot of different things, but it could challenge the December snowstorm. This is what we are thinking as far as accumulations go...a widespread area of 14/16" to 24". That area is outlined by Washington County on the west, cuts down through DC (and maybe even south of that...although that's D.C.s market at that point), over through PG County and maybe even Easton and then northward. That means that it does include Baltimore City, County, AA, Harford, Cecil, Carroll, Frederick, Montgomery, and Howard Counties. Even though there will be just as much moisture south and east, the amounts will be less because sleet and rain will take away from any snowfall accumulating - although we did say that everyone will get into accumulating snowfall by the end Saturday night. If you want to see the actual map, make sure to check out Tim and Bob at 4, 5, & 6...or check out their webcasts that we regularly update.
Another aspect of this storm is the winds. As the storm strengthens, the winds will also. There is the chance that some of us could be close to blizzard conditions (that means winds sustained at 30 mph), while the Atlantic coast will get hit with even stronger winds that could gust over 50 mph. Then, as the temperatures drops Saturday, this will cause blowing and drifting of snow. The storm will be gone on Sunday, but the strong winds will turn around to the northwest and temperatures will probably not get out of the 20s. This cold air is going to linger. We will struggle to get to freezing on Monday before creeping above it slightly on Tuesday.
Please note this, there is another chance for some snow Tuesday into Wednesday. It's not going to be this kind of a storm, but could give us more accumulation. Even colder air is going to follow that one for the end of the week. And, believe it or not, there are even more storms lined up that will try to come our way the following two weeks after that.
Make sure that you check back in with WJZ and WJZ.com for all the latest.
