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Maryland Weather: More Snow Sunday followed by bitter cold temps

A mild mid-January day, temps peak in the mid 40s
A mild mid-January day, temps peak in the mid 40s 03:01

BALTIMORE -- Enjoy the warmer temperatures while they last, because another blast of Arctic air is headed our way to start next week . . . and this looks like the coldest yet.

Today, however, will be slightly warmer, with mostly cloudy skies and temperatures rising into the low to mid-40s. There is a chance for scattered showers during the morning into the early afternoon hours. Temperatures will drop into the 30s tonight.

An Arctic cold front is set to arrive in the region on Sunday. The front should pass through during the morning, with temperatures starting in the mid-30s and falling into the 20s by afternoon. That means the warmest part of the day will be early on. A wave of low pressure will pass just south of the area Sunday, bringing enough moisture for accumulating snow.

At this time, the best chance for significant snowfall appears to be along and northwest of I-95, where totals could range from three to six inches. Areas farther south, including Southern Maryland and the lower Eastern Shore, are likely to see lesser amounts, generally around one to two inches. Snow is expected to begin by mid to late morning Sunday, continuing through the afternoon and tapering off by evening.

WJZ has issued a First Alert Weather Day for Sunday due to the snow. Travel problems are anticipated as snow begins to accumulate, especially once temperatures fall below freezing. If you plan to head out to watch the Ravens game on Sunday evening, plan accordingly and allow extra time to reach your destination.

Temperatures Sunday night will drop into the teens across the area. With gusty northwest winds, wind chills will plummet to around zero by Monday morning.

WJZ First Alert Weather Days are also in effect for Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday due to the extreme cold. Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday will be bitterly cold, with a mix of clouds and sunshine and high temperatures only reaching the lower 20s. Feels-like temperatures will remain in the single digits throughout the afternoon and could drop into the single digits *below* zero by evening into the overnight hours.

The coldest nights will be Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, with actual temperatures dipping into the single digits. Wind chills on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings will fall below zero in most areas, with some locations experiencing wind chills as low as the teens below zero. High temperatures on Tuesday afternoon will only reach near 20 degrees.

By the end of the week, temperatures will start to warm up slightly. Highs will climb to the upper 20s on Thursday and the mid-30s on Friday. Overnight lows will gradually rise as well, with Friday morning's temperatures in the mid-teens and next Saturday morning's around 20 degrees.

We will also need to monitor midweek closely as a major winter storm develops along the Gulf Coast. As the storm tracks northeast toward the Southeast Atlantic Coast, parts of Southern Maryland and the lower Eastern Shore may see snow on the northern fringes of the system. The most likely time frame for this event is late Tuesday into early Wednesday. Light snow accumulation is possible, but the extent will depend on the storm's exact track.

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