A Wintry Mix Blasts Through Maryland
BALTIMORE (WJZ) --The snow is causing problems all over Maryland.
Adam May is tracking the conditions around Baltimore.
After an unexpected blast of snow hit the Baltimore area Wednesday morning, residents who had to shovel out a few inches brace for round two. Officials from BGE fear this could be the worst storm of the season.
"We have that wet consistency of snow, along with 35-mile-an-hour gusts, so it's a bad combination and the power could suffer," said Rob Gould, BGE spokesman.
The State Highway Administration is tracking road conditions and accidents like a jack-knifed trailer on 95-South near the Tydings Bridge in Harford County.
"We're definitely going to be staffing more because we're expecting between 2-9" with heavier amounts in and [around the] D.C. area," said Kim Frum, State Highways.
In downtown Baltimore, a lot of the morning snow has either melted or been cleared away, bu the mayor thinks luck has run out.
"We've been blessed so far this year," said Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake. "We've missed a lot of the snow that's got the East Coast this year, so we're probably due and ready."
Since 2 a.m. Wednesday, 150 pieces of snow removal equipment have been in use.
"We will remain at full deployment for the next 24 hours and work until the storm subsides," said Adrienne Barnes, Baltimore City transportation spokesperson.
Areas north and west of Baltimore are getting the worst of the snow. First Warning Weather coverage continues with Alex DeMetrick, as he takes a look at conditions in Harford County.
In northern Harford County, they were expecting to get more snow than most of the state. However, they just didn't know it would hit as hard as it did during morning rush hour.
Snow fell heaviest in northern Harford County, and the possibility that rain would help melt it never happened.
"It was a bit of a shock this morning at 5 a.m. with both state highways and the counties as to how quickly the roads got covered and how bad things got in just a couple hours," said Bob Thomas, Harford County Communications.
That left roads coated--especially smaller streets and routes-- and that kept tow trucks hopping.
"Very busy, very busy," said Mike Kahl, George's Towing. " Since 7 o'clock this morning, it was crazy. Roads were bad. Sliding off the roads, stuck, yeah. Don't go on a road that ain't plowed."
By late morning, main routes were cleared and road crews doing the work are on standby for more of the same Wednesday night.
But a lot of rural roads stayed covered, and more snow is coming.
"Our roads are going to be very, very treacherous," Thomas said. "Don't try to rush because all you're going to end up doing is causing an accident for yourself and problems for others."
In Harford County, 700 tons of salt were spread just between 5 a.m. and noon. Those crews are back out now doing more of the same.
