The National Weather Service (NWS) stated on Thursday morning that “there is growing confidence that a storm will produce significant wintry weather beginning later this week. Impacts will begin in the Central Plains by late Saturday, the Ohio and Tennessee valleys on Sunday, and the Mid-Atlantic region early next week.” For our area, Sunday into Monday looks likely.
According to the graphic below by the NWS, parts of Maryland (including Montgomery County) have a 50-80% chance of exceeding the warning criteria for snowfall on Monday. In our area, a Winter Storm Warning is issued when a significant combination of hazardous winter weather is occurring or imminent. Significant and hazardous winter weather is defined as a combination of:
1) 5 inches or more of snow/sleet within a 12-hour period or 7 inches or more of snow/sleet within a 24-hour period
AND/OR
2) Enough ice accumulation to cause damage to trees or powerlines.
AND/OR
3) a life threatening or damaging combination of snow and/or ice accumulation with wind.
Remember, that this is just currently laying out possibilities for what’s to come and not an actual forecast. As we get closer to the potential storm, more specific totals will be forecasted by the National Weather Service and other local forecasters/meteorologists– we will share those with you as they start coming out in the next day or two.
