D.C. and Baltimore dodge the ‘monster’: why the worst of the blizzard is bypassing the Beltway
While Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston brace for a historic two-foot burial, Washington, D.C., and Baltimore appear to be dodging the bomb cyclone’s lethal punch.
The National Weather Service (NWS) Baltimore/Washington has notably opted against issuing Blizzard Warnings for the immediate metro areas, instead keeping Winter Storm Warnings and Advisories in place.
The primary reason for the miss is the storm’s projected track, which is expected to bomb out just a bit too far east to pull the heaviest snow bands directly over the District.
Additionally, marginal surface temperatures in the mid-30s during the day on Sunday will cause much of the initial precipitation to fall as rain or a slushy mix, effectively “wasting” several hours of potential accumulation.
Despite missing the jackpot totals, the region isn’t entirely off the hook. Baltimore is still expecting a respectable 5 to 8 inches of snow, with some areas north and east of the city potentially seeing up to 12 inches as the storm intensifies late Sunday night.
Meanwhile, D.C. residents should plan for a more modest 3 to 5 inches (maybe even less), mostly accumulating on the grass as temperatures struggle to hit the freezing mark before the steadiest moisture pulls away.
While D.C. won’t be shoveling two feet of snow tomorrow morning, the combination of gusty 35 mph winds and rapidly dropping temperatures this evening will still make for a treacherous Monday morning commute.