A storm likely to drop a couple of inches of snow across North Carolina could bring some light flakes to Maryland on Thursday, and forecasters are also eyeing a possible rain/snow mix around Baltimore on Sunday.
An area of low pressure is expected to move across the southern branch of the jet stream over the United States, possibly bringing a few inches of snow from Texas to North Carolina. Winter storm watches and warnings are in effect in nine states across the Southeast.
Models are mixed on how far north the precipitation could come, according to forecasters at the National Weather Service's Baltimore/Washington office. Chances are expected to be slight, about 30 percent, late Wednesday night through Thursday morning in Maryland, with the strongest odds to the south.
Any precipitation in the Baltimore area is expected to be snow, with plenty of cold air over the region. Lows early Thursday are forecast in the teens.
Another frigid high-pressure system is expected to move in after that, but it could break down Sunday, forecasters said. By then, a relative warm-up to the upper 30s and lower 40s could mean some rain, but the weather service is predicting snow chances turning to a possible wintry mix by Sunday night.