WHAT: Icy conditions to start to transition to rain into the afternoon and evening.
WHERE: Sleet/freezing rain north and west of the Interstate 95 corridor where the temperatures will be below 32 degrees.
Little wet snow near the Pennsylvania line.
Mostly rain south and east of Baltimore.
WHEN: Mainly early Thursday morning (~3 a.m.) through the afternoon, then rain
– 3-9 a.m. — Freezing rain, sleet and rain (some surfaces turning icy, especially north and west of Baltimore)
– 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Gradually warming south to north, changing to all rain
– 1-7 p.m. — Heavy rain, becoming breezy
– 7 p.m. — Showers continue overnight and end early Friday morning
Icy conditions are likely Thursday morning north and west of the Interstate 95 corridor.
In the days before Thursday, the road temperatures will be at or below freezing, which means any precipitation will come down and could freeze on roadways.
Meteorologist Tony Pann explained that an area of low pressure will develop too far inland for snow in Maryland, which means the cold air will be at the surface but not aloft, thus, freezing rain and sleet.
So, Thursday starts with a mix of widespread freezing rain and/or sleet north and west of the city that will change to all rain as the day progresses. (Sleet comes down as pellets of ice, and freezing rain starts out as rain that freezes upon contact on cold surfaces.) Be careful!
Central Maryland is under a winter weather advisory from 7 p.m. Wednesday to 1 p.m. Thursday.
BOTTOM LINE: The morning commute could be treacherous. As temperatures rise by the mid-morning Thursday, conditions will change to rain, which will continue through the evening commute.
Garrett and Allegany counties will be under a winter storm watch Wednesday night through late Thursday night due to some snow that may mix in near the Maryland/Pennsylvania border. Significant ice accumulation around 1/4 of an inch with up to 3/4 of an inch are possible.
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