ISSUED: 3:38 PM MAR. 20, 2018 – NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE
…WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM WEDNESDAY TO MIDNIGHT
EDT WEDNESDAY NIGHT…

* WHAT…Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 3 to 5
inches are expected. Locally up to 6 inches in northern
Dorchester County.

* WHERE…Dorchester, Wicomico and Somerset Counties.

* WHEN…From 6 AM Wednesday to midnight EDT Wednesday night.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS…Plan on difficult travel conditions,
including during the evening commute on Wednesday. Be prepared
for significant reductions in visibility at times.

The issuance of the Winter Storm Warning indicates the near certainty of the snow storm as opposed to the previously issued Winter Storm Watch.  Low pressure forming off the coast of Delmarva will intensify this evening. Colder air wraps in and mixes with bands of heavy precipitation for Wednesday. Precipitation should change to all snow by late morning in the Salisbury area. Wednesday afternoon and evening could see us experience periods of heavy snow.

Will it stick? 

The intensity of the snowfall will determine how much accumulates. Snowfall in Wicomico County looks like it could range from about 2 inches on the eastside to as much as 6 inches on the westside.  I know that sounds like a wide disparity in snowfall amounts, so let me repeat…the rate at which the snow falls, together with the time of day at which the intensity is greatest, will determine the snow depth on the ground.  The National Weather Service believes that some of the snow bands could offer up snowfall rates of from one to three inches per hour.  That’s intense!  Areas north of us are likely to be pounded.

The most trustworthy model, updated this afternoon, suggests that accumulations around 4 to 5 PM tomorrow should look like this.

The model predicts the following accumulations of snowfall in Maryland and Delaware by the morning rush hour on Thursday.

Note that Thursday rush hour snow totals are projected to be higher west of Salisbury, as evidenced by the following graphic of just Wicomico County.

I will update again as warranted.  Please feel free to share.