The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued Ice Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories for parts of the Mid-Atlantic for “Widespread Impactful Freezing Rain/Sleet.” The Storm Prediction Center has issued the following key messages for the Mid-Atlantic icing.
Locally, a Winter Weather Advisory has been issued for sleet accumulations up to one inch and ice accumulations up to one tenth of an inch from 9 PM Wednesday to 10 AM Thursday.
For the Mid-Atlantic, per the NWS: “Precipitation spanning from the Midwest to the northern Mid-Atlantic is anticipated to fall mostly as an icy mix of freezing rain and sleet on Wednesday and persist through Thursday.
Heaviest Icing Likely in Western MD, WV Panhandle, and portions of PA Highest chances (40-70%) for more than 0.25″ of ice accretion are forecast in western Maryland, the West Virginia Panhandle, and northward into central/southern Pennsylvania; resulting in the greatest potential for scattered power outages and tree damage. Lighter, but still hazardous, freezing rain accumulations under 0.25″ are expected elsewhere across the Midwest, Great Lakes, and northern Mid-Atlantic. This includes major thoroughfares such as Interstates 81, 80, 76, 70, and 68.
Light Freezing Rain & Sleet is Hazardous. Minor freezing rain accumulations on roadways can lead to dangerous travel. Accumulating sleet can be strenuous to shovel and be treacherous to both drive and walk on. Be sure to check conditions before venturing out and drive slow.”