Snow Could Make Morning Commute Icy In Baltimore/DC Region: NWS

BALTIMORE, MD — The National Weather Service issued a potential winter commuting hazard statement to prepare Maryland drivers for what could be a slick Wednesday morning trek to work. A threat of snow could turn the Baltimore-DC region's roads icy and disrupt travel.

The hazard statement covers areas north of Washington, D.C., eastward to the Baltimore metro and north to the Pennsylvania/Maryland state line. "While confidence is low, a dusting of snow is possible which may impact morning commuters," the agency said.

Areas in the hazard statement include: Frederick, Eldersburg, Westminster, Reisterstown, Cockeysville, Baltimore, Germantown, Damascus, Lisbon, Columbia, Ellicott City, Jarrettsville,and Aberdeen, plus parts of Carroll, Baltimore, Montgomery, Howard, and Harford counties.

The NWS forecast calls for a 30 to 40 percent chance of a period of snow Wednesday morning with up to a couple tenths of an inch of accumulation on area roads.

"If this threat does materialize during the Wednesday morning rush hour, many roads could quickly turn icy," the weather service said. "This could lead to dangerous traveling conditions, multiple accidents, and extensive delays."

Here's the forecast:

Tuesday Night: Increasing clouds, with a low around 30. West wind around 7 mph.

Wednesday: A chance of rain and snow showers before 1pm, then a chance of rain showers between 1pm and 2pm, then a chance of rain and snow showers after 2pm. Cloudy, then becoming mostly sunny during the afternoon, with a high near 45. Southwest wind 5 to 8 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. West wind 6 to 8 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 52. Northwest wind 5 to 9 mph becoming light in the afternoon.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 34. Calm wind becoming south around 6 mph after midnight.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 54.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers after 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 47. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Sunday: A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 58. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Sunday Night: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 38. Chance of precipitation is 30%.