What Are The Odds Of Snow In MD Christmas Weather Forecast?

MARYLAND — Severe weather is expected to hit Maryland this week, with a stormy Thursday in the forecast, but what are the odds for snow on Christmas?

Right now the weather forecast favors a wet and windy Christmas Eve and Day, with the potential for flooding, a gale warning on Chesapeake Bay, a dramatic temperature drop and other problems.

"A strong cold front will sweep through the region Christmas Eve," the National Weather Service said Tuesday afternoon. "The front will be accompanied by showers, thunderstorms, some producing heavy rainfall and strong gusty winds. Arctic air will rush in and could change the rain to a brief period of snow."

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for most of the state, saying a strong low-pressure system and cold front will move across the region later in the day on Christmas Eve and then last through early Christmas Day.

The hazardous outlook applies to all or parts of Cecil, Baltimore, Prince George's, Anne Arundel, Charles, St. Marys, Calvert, Montgomery, Howard and Harford counties.

This area includes the Maryland portion of the Chesapeake Bay, tidal Potomac River, and the I-95 corridor through central Maryland, northern Virginia, and the District of Columbia.

Also, a gale warning is in effect for the waters through 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Gov. Larry Hogan, along with local, state, and national health leaders, has urged Marylanders to stay home for the holiday to contain the spread of the coronavirus. "We simply cannot afford to let our guard down over the holidays," Hogan said on Dec. 17, calling it a "very critical time."

See Also: Travel Restricted, Gatherings Limited In MD: Governor Hogan

In the Mid-Atlantic, 1 to 2 inches of rain is likely along and west of Interstate 95 on Thursday night into early Christmas morning, the Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang said.

Temperatures may drop 30 degrees Friday morning, with highs in the mid-30s in eastern spots, including Washington, the Post said. Accumulating snow is possible in parts of the Appalachians, including western Maryland, while a few flurries or snow showers are even possible Christmas Day in D.C., Baltimore or Philadelphia, though accumulations would be light.

Technically, a white Christmas means an inch of snow on the ground to cover the grass, so that seems iffy at this point.

The first major storm of the official winter season will bring rain and a flooding risk to most areas along the Eastern Seaboard, and even some thunderstorms, according to AccuWeather. "The storm is also expected to bring a brief period of snow at the tail end for some locations and a dramatic change to colder weather for all in its wake spanning Christmas Eve and Christmas Day."

The unsettled weather pattern later this week means cities including Atlanta and Orlando will turn colder much faster than Washington, D.C., AccuWeather said. Temperatures are forecast to warm into the 50s in the District.

Temperatures are expected to plummet through the 30s and into the 20s in Atlanta on Christmas Eve. And even the high in Orlando on Friday may end up lower than the low temperature in Boston from Thursday night, with readings likely to be within a few degrees of 50 in both locations.

According to the Farmers’ Almanac, which recently released its annual Christmas weekend forecast, our state is in for fair and cold weather for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

The fascination with a white Christmas was likely popularized by the writings of Charles Dickens. The depiction of a snow-covered Christmas season in his 1843 classic “A Christmas Carol,” and a number of his other short stories, was reportedly influenced by memories of his childhood.

The song, “White Christmas,” sung by Bing Crosby, is among the best-selling singles of all time. The tune nostalgically speaks of a white Christmas and has since become embedded in American holiday traditions.

Here's the forecast through the holiday weekend:

Tuesday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 29. West wind 3 to 8 mph.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 46. Calm wind becoming southeast 5 to 8 mph in the afternoon.

Wednesday night: A chance of showers after 1am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 37. Southeast wind 7 to 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Thursday: Showers. High near 59. Breezy, with a southeast wind 10 to 15 mph increasing to 18 to 23 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.

Thursday night: Rain showers before 5am, then rain and snow showers likely. The rain could be heavy at times. Low around 30. Breezy. Chance of precipitation is 100%.

Christmas Day: Snow showers likely before 7am. Partly sunny, with a high near 35. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Friday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 19.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 34.

Saturday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 23.

Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 42.

Sunday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 30.