New Snow Threat, Bitter Cold In MD Forecast

MARYLAND — Don't put away those snow shovels just yet. Mother Nature may have another round of snow heading toward Maryland this weekend. That will be accompanied by more bitter cold, with lows plunging into the teens three of the next five nights.

A winter storm threat may materialize late Friday night into early Saturday, the National Weather Service said.

A developing ice storm will target southern states by the end of the week before turning toward the mid-Atlantic and possibly New England this weekend, AccuWeather said. There's a potential for 1 to 3 inches of snow.

AccuWeather said the storm could quickly head east into the ocean, leaving Central Maryland with less snow and the lower Eastern Shore with more.

AccuWeather noted that the system could instead strengthen at the coast and slowly trek northeast, increasing the snowfall along the Interstate 95 corridor.

"Not only would such a storm bring a substantial amount of snow to cities such as Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, and even Boston from Saturday to Saturday night, but it would also increase winds along the coast on par with a major nor'easter," AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said. "However, this scenario is much less likely--say only about a 15% chance of occurrence--but still poses enough of a threat to be monitored closely."

AccuWeather, however, thinks the storm will most likely hit the East Coast, head slightly north and then travel into the Atlantic without major disruption to Maryland. The odds of a potent nor'easter that runs the length of the Eastern Seaboard are low.

Whether it's flurries or a few inches is up in the air, said The Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang. It depends how far north the storm tracks up the coast before heading out to sea. Southern and eastern parts of the DC region have the highest odds for accumulating snow.

If snow does move into the region, it should wind down Saturday afternoon with highs above freezing in the mid-30s. That means dry skies when the Ravens host the Steelers for Saturday's playoff game at 8 p.m.

A mostly clear Saturday night will bring lows in the upper teens to mid-20s. Expect mostly sunny skies on Sunday with highs in the low to mid-30s, the Weather Gang said.

Wednesday will see mostly sunny skies with highs near 30, according to the NWS. A westward wind could gust up to 28 mph.

Bundle up Wednesday night, as the low is 16 degrees with gusts up to 23 mph, according to the forecast.

Related: How To Keep Your Pipes From Freezing As Bitter Cold Blankets MD

Here is the NWS's seven-day forecast for the Baltimore area:

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 30. West wind 13 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 16. West wind 11 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 30. Blustery, with a northwest wind 14 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 38 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 17. Northwest wind 15 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 32. Northwest wind 8 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Friday Night: Snow, mainly after 1am. Low around 22. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Saturday: A chance of snow before 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 36. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 21.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 35.

Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 17.

Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 36.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 22.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 35.