The Cumberland Times-News
Disruptive Snow Followed by Record-breaking Cold Will Grip Region!
Cumberland, MD. January 18, 2025 - Just as Cumberland is in the running for a top 10 coldest January since 1974, Mother Nature has far more tricks up her sleeves.
A Blue Norther, commonly known as an Arctic invasion for the Rockies and western Plains, will rush down the spine of the Rockies late this week. It will then beam across the nation into western Maryland on Saturday night to early Monday.
For western Maryland and the Potomac Highlands, a little bit of snow Saturday morning will change to rain and then back to snow in the late afternoon as the Arctic front pushes through the region. The snow will quickly end in the evening with an inch or less accumulation.
On the heels of the Arctic front, a fresh low pressure will develop in the Carolinas and push northeast off the Mid-Atlantic coast. A dry, powdery snow will develop in western Maryland and the Potomac Highlands Sunday morning and end in the evening, except Garrett County where it won’t end until Monday afternoon. Snow amounts will range from 3 inches in Cumberland to 8 inches in Garrett County. The cold air and pavement temperatures will make this a high impact winter storm. Every roadway, including I-68, will become snow-covered in this snowstorm by mid-afternoon Sunday.
Snow will blow and drift Sunday evening into Monday as the front pushes east of the region. Then, the coldest air in decades will push through next week. Cumberland and Oakland’s record low temperature Wednesday of minus-6 degrees and minus-15 degrees, respectively, will be challenged. Extreme Cold Warnings will be issued for the entire region as the wind chill will dip below minus-20 degrees. Frostbite will occur on exposed skin within 10 to 30 minutes, so bundle up in many layers.
Temperatures this low will cause problems, including water main breaks. Remember, if you approach a large puddle, keep in mind ice is likely underneath the running water. Remember to fuel up so you don’t have to stand outside at the pump in the dangerous cold next week and add more air into your car tires than the recommended value because tire pressure will lower a bit in the record cold.
The pattern favors below-average temperatures until a flip occurs between January 25-28. A more sustainable warmer pattern then looks to develop over the East while the West will see a flip to much colder and stormy weather. The colder and wet weather will likely reduce the risk for California wildfires, but hopefully won’t induce mud and debris flows.
Chad Merrill is a Cumberland native and meteorologist who not only serves as the Hagerstown Town and Country Almanack weather prognosticator but has previously been meteorologist with WDVM (formerly known as NBC25) in Hagerstown and at WJAC-TV in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and was chief meteorologist at WOAY-TV in Oak Hill, West Virginia in 2023. He has recently accepted the position of Senior Meteorologist with AccuWeather in State College, Pennsylvania beginning in 2025. After a rigourous evaluation, Merrill was awarded the National Weather Association (NWA) Seal of Approval in 2022. According to the association, only 1,045 meteorologists currently hold the NWA Seal of Approval. In April, 2023, Merrill, was inducted into the prestigious Marquis Who's Who Biographical Registry! Feel free to contact him at cmweather24@gmail.com or 240-285-8476.
