Maryland Weather: Winter storm warning for northern suburbs

BALTIMORE — Brief warming Saturday ahead of a coastal storm developing Sunday. This storm is expected to produce another round of snow accumulating across the metro area and heavy accumulations for the northern suburbs.

At this point, the best chance for significant snowfall appears to be along and northwest of I-95, where totals could range from three to six inches. The eastern bank may see an inch or less.

WJZ has issued a First Alert Weather Day for Sunday due to the snow. Travel problems are expected as the snow begins to accumulate, especially as temperatures drop below freezing. If you plan to go out to see the Ravens game on Sunday night, plan accordingly and allow extra time to reach your destination.

Bitter Cold Martin Luther King, Junior Day

At the same time, this coastal low draws moisture from the south, an artic explosion will push in from the north. As the coastal storm moves north into New England, we will see bitterly cold temperatures in time for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Temperatures will begin to drop across the area Sunday afternoon, northwesterly winds will begin to push cold air into the region. Monday morning temperatures will be in the teens with wind chills in the single digits.

WJZ First Alert Weather Days are also in effect Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday due to the extreme cold.

The coldest nights will be Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, when actual temperatures will drop into the single digits. Wind chills on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday morning will drop below zero in most areas, with some locations experiencing wind chills as low as the teens below zero. High temperatures on Tuesday afternoon will only reach near 20 degrees.

Weekend light warm-up

By the end of the week, temperatures will start to warm up a bit. Highs will climb into the upper 20s on Thursday and the mid-30s on Friday. Overnight lows will also gradually rise, with Friday morning temperatures in the mid-teens and next Saturday morning around 20 degrees.

We’ll also need to closely monitor midweek as a major winter storm develops along the Gulf Coast. As the storm tracks northeast toward the southeast Atlantic coast, parts of southern Maryland and the lower Eastern Shore may see snow on the northern edges of the system. The most likely time frame for this event is late Tuesday through early Wednesday. Light snow accumulations are possible, but the extent will depend on the exact track of the storm.