Salisbury is waking up to a cold Saturday at 12 degrees. Temperatures will not exceed the low to mid 20’s today under increasingly cloudy skies.

The Winter Storm Warning for the Eastern Shore indicates that snow will develop late today and continue into Sunday morning. Low temperatures will drop to about 18 degrees overnight meaning that snow will be dry, light, and fluffy. That will allow it to accumulate quickly into the early morning hours.

The feeling from this weather observer is that 6 inches of snow is still a reasonable expectation in Salisbury at daybreak. Temps will gradually climb throughout the morning hours into the upper 20’s and reach the freezing mark sometime around 11 AM or so.

Here is the very latest snowfall accumulation projection from the ECMWF model.

From late morning on tomorrow we may well wish that we only had snow with which to contend. While a foot or more of snow is beautiful it does not bring with it the potential hazards that are likely to come with the sleet, freezing rain, and ice that we are expected to receive throughout the remainder of the day and evening.

Layers of snow, sleet, and a glaze of ice that potentially are covered by a light dusting of snow when the storm ends early on Monday is a recipe for disaster.

Fortunately for us, the heaviest of the icing comes to our west where the possibility of a catastrophic ice storm exists. We, nonetheless, are expected to receive up to .1 of an inch of ice.

This will lead to added weight to power lines and trees. Property damage from falling trees and branches is possible as are dreaded power outages. Citizens need not take this potential threat lightly.

Thousands of people across America are likely dreaming of cuddling up on a snowy Sunday watching movies and, of course, the NFL playoffs. The guess here is that many thousands of Americans will be unable to watch those games if they lose their power.

The biggest factor is where the 32 degree temperature line sets up. It is expected to be just to the north of Salisbury.

Indications this morning are that our area will see plentiful amounts of freezing rain in the afternoon on Sunday. Together with any sleet that may fall, early morning snow accumulations will become compacted. At storm’s end, Delmarva will likely have become a treacherous sheet of ice.

The Winter Storm Warning has been extended through 7 PM on Monday due to the expected windy conditions that will follow the storm, adding to the danger of fallen trees and power lines that may be covered in ice. Driving may be an irresponsible act.

Now that the Salisbury area is within 24 hours of snowfall weather watchers are now able to access the High Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) weather model that refreshes hourly in real time. Unlike the ECMWF and GFS long range models, the HRRR allows for more precise hyper local forecasts.

We will keep an eye on the HRRR throughout the day and post alerts here if/when they become necessary.