Snow, Sleet Hit MD On Christmas Eve Amid Travel Surge

MARYLAND — Snow dusted Maryland on Tuesday morning, leaving a thin coating on Christmas Eve. Roadways, walkways and decks had slight accumulation.

Frozen precipitation was reported in Odenton, Anne Arundel County and Middle River, Baltimore County, where a fine sheet of ice has covered shallow parts of the coastline for a few days.

The National Weather Service is calling it a mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain. Less than a tenth of an inch of accumulation is expected.

"A band of light freezing rain extends from northeast MD down into northern VA this morning," the NWS said at 6:38 a.m. Tuesday on X, formerly Twitter. "With air temps in the 20s expect slick travel conditions on elevated and untreated surfaces. This band of precip works east over the next 2-3 hrs."

Much of Maryland is under a winter weather advisory until 1 p.m. Tuesday. The alert covers central, north-central, northeast, and northern Maryland. Portions of Washington, D.C. are also included, as are northern and northwest Virginia.

"Roads, and especially bridges and overpasses, will likely become slick and hazardous. Very slippery sidewalks, roads and bridges are possible," the NWS advisory said. "The hazardous conditions could impact the Tuesday morning commute."

A small amount of snow or a wintry mix will fall from Boston and New York City to Philadelphia and perhaps even Washington, D.C., for a time on Tuesday, AccuWeather said.

Related: Holiday Travel Expected To Set Record: When To Get Out Of MD This Year

"Enough snow and/or ice will occur from the central Appalachians to the mid-Atlantic coast and southern New England to make roads slippery for a time. Heavier snow will fall from northern Michigan to northern New York and northern New England."

The last time Maryland had at least an inch of snow on the ground on Christmas Day was in 2009 when 6 inches of snow was recorded in the Baltimore metro, according to a report looking at the historical odds of a white Christmas.

It looks like the dry trend will continue in 2024.

Here is the NWS seven-day forecast from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport:

Tuesday: Snow and sleet, possibly mixed with freezing rain before 11am, then a chance of rain between 11am and 1pm. High near 43. Southwest wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. Total daytime ice accumulation of less than a 0.1 of an inch possible. Total daytime snow and sleet accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. North wind 3 to 5 mph.

Christmas Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 42. North wind 3 to 6 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. Calm wind.

Thursday: Partly sunny, with a high near 42. Light northeast wind.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 26.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 45.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 48.

Saturday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 39. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Sunday: A chance of rain. Cloudy, with a high near 55. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Sunday Night: Rain likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Monday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 55. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Related: Here’s How Long It’s Been Since MD Had A White Christmas