After a relatively mild day Tuesday, an inch or two of snow possibly mixed with rain or ice is forecast to interfere with travel Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
Snow is likely, with temperatures forecast in the lower 30s. An inch or two of accumulation is expected for most of the Baltimore area, with lesser amounts south of Baltimore in Anne Arundel County and 2-3 inches possible along the Mason-Dixon Line, according to the National Weather Service.
It's possible snowfall rates could increase in some areas as warm, moist air from the south meets the clipper system, according to Henry Margusity of AccuWeather.com. But it's impossible to say if or precisely where that could occur.
Rain is possible to mix in as precipitation chances stretch into the afternoon and temperatures rise to the mid-30s. There is uncertainty over how long some areas will remain below freezing, which could change snowfall forecasts, according to weather service forecasters.
State Highway Administration officials again urged drivers to be cautious.
"For the third consecutive week, forecasters call for precipitation during a weekday commute and we cannot stress enough that a difference of only one or two degrees is the difference between wet roads and treacherous slippery roads," SHA Administrator Melinda B. Peters said in a statement. "With pavement temperatures expected to be right around freezing or just below, we again ask motorists to take these warnings seriously. Make decisions now, such as delaying travel plans, while we take care of clearing roads for your travel."
While temperatures are expected to return to the mid-40s on Thursday, seasonable cold is forecast after that, with highs around 40 degrees and lows in the 20s.
Models are meanwhile mixed on the possibility of a coastal storm that could bring heavier snows up the Interstate 95 corridor this weekend. While European forecasting models support that idea, American models have been saying the storm will stay out to sea, according to Margusity.
But WMAR-TV meterologist Mike Masco said Tuesday morning the models are beginning to agree and suggest weekend snow is likely.