Lake-effect snows winterize W. Maryland

The cold and windy conditions that have made fire-fighting so miserable in Baltimore this week are forecast to continue through Wednesday as low-pressure over Quebec draws frigid Canadian air south across the lakes. That will also keep the upslope snows falling in Western Maryland. Wind-chill advisories may be needed out there as wind-chill readings drop toward minus-5 degrees. Actual temperature readings could reach single digits.

The winds will finally calm and temperatures will rise toward the seasonal norms later in the week as high pressure settles into the region. Weekend highs should reach the mid-40s by the weekend before a new storm system reaches the area, with sharply colder weather moving in behind that.

Forecasters at Sterling are still predicting rain with that system east of the mountains, beginning late Saturday. That could change to a mix of rain and snow as temperatures drop Sunday night.

So far this month BWI-Marshall has seen temperatures drop from 62 degrees on the 1st to 26 degrees on the 2nd. Daily averages have been well below the norms since the 2nd, and the month to date is averaging 3.5 degrees colder than the long-term averages.

Officially, we've had no precipitation at BWI. Heating degree-days are running 15 percent above the average.