Snow Flurries Followed By Strong Springlike Storms: Latest MD Forecast

MARYLAND — Snow fell in the Baltimore region Thursday morning as a cold blast moved through, while a major storm could be on its way to Maryland with the potential for severe thunderstorms and heavy rain across the region over the weekend, according to forecasters.

A smaller storm on Thursday, could bring passing flurries, snow showers, and sprinkles across central and northern Maryland, but wrap up by noon. While no accumulation is expected on the roadways with ground temperatures well above freezing, the flurries will bring a holiday feel to the area.

"We start the forecast period with a breezy winter chill today and maybe even a snow shower in spots this morning, and could end it with gusty springlike storms Sunday into Sunday night," forecasters at the Capital Weather Gang said Wednesday.

"We can't rule out a few snow showers across extreme northeastern Maryland by early Thursday morning," WJZ News reported Wednesday. "Right now it's not a high chance, but it's also not zero."

A much bigger front is on the way this weekend, as an approaching front will follow a warm weather front that ends the week.

"During the day on Friday, a storm tracking through the central Rockies will shift into the southern and central Plains, developing a new area of low pressure," AccuWeather said. "Chilly air blowing out of the Rockies and northern Plains will clash with warm and humid air flowing out of the Gulf of Mexico, which can spawn a rapidly intensifying storm."

While conditions should be pleasant in Maryland on Saturday, the risk for thunderstorms and potentially damaging wind gusts will increase as a powerful cold front surges into the region, according to AccuWeather.

"Thunderstorms can quickly blast through the East as powerful winds steer the wet weather toward the Atlantic coast," AccuWeather said. "Within any heavy shower or thunderstorm that treks through the East on Sunday, locally damaging wind gusts will be possible."

Showers are likely to begin at around 8 a.m. on Sunday in Maryland, with rain getting steady at around 1 p.m. Wind gusts could reach up to 60 miles an hour, with the storm expected to be most intense on Sunday and Sunday night.

"This will be a slow moving storm with the capability of delivering rain, a round of strong wind gusts, and potentially even a few strong to severe thunderstorms," WJZ News said. "Rainfall amounts of up to 1", and locally higher totals are certainly possible Sunday evening into Sunday night. During this time, a round of strong winds is also possible between 50 and 60 mph."

The severe thunderstorm potential appears strongest in the lower Eastern Shore and Southern Maryland, where the atmosphere could become most favorable for severe storms late Sunday into early Sunday night.

"Right now, strong gusty winds, a few hours of heavy rain, and coastal flooding look to be the primary impacts from the storm," WJZ News reported.

Precipitation is expected to continue through the day Monday in Maryland as high temperatures drop from the 60s on Sunday to the 40s on Monday, forecasters said.

Here is a look at the forecast for Maryland through the weekend from the National Weather Service:

Thursday: Scattered rain and snow showers before noon, then scattered sprinkles between noon and 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48. Southwest wind 6 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 37. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Isolated snow showers between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 44. West wind 6 to 10 mph.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 8 mph in the morning.

Friday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 36.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 54.

Saturday night: A chance of rain after 2 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 43.

Sunday: Rain likely before 1 p.m, then showers, mainly after 1 p.m. High near 61. Breezy.