Updates on new snowstorm in region

BG&E reports 4,500 without power

Updated at 9:57 a.m.: Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. is bracing itself for additional electric outages as the second major snowstorm hits Maryland.

About 4,500 customers were out of service at 9:45 a.m., but that number is expected to increase as additional snow and freezing rain lands on top of tree limbs and power lines already weighed down with accumulated inches of precipitation.

High winds and other blizzard conditions are also making driving hazardous for restoration crews, according to a company statement.

Liz Kay

NWS: 'Extremely dangerous winter weather'

Updated at 8:43 a.m.: With Blizzard Warnings in effect until 7 p.m. Wednesday from the Virginia suburbs of Washington, through Baltimore, to Philadelphia and New York City, the National Weather Service is warning that weather conditions have begun to deteriorate.

With heavy snow and winds gusting as high as 60 mph, attempts to travel could become life-threatening.


Read more.

From Frank Roylance's Maryland Weather blog

Transit services shutting down

Updated at 8:42 a.m.: With conditions deteriorating rapidly, the Maryland Transit Administration is shutting down some of the services it had intended to keep running today.

Deputy state transportation secretary Harold Bartlett said the MTA is phasing out the bus routes it put out on the streets this morning. He said the MTA will try to pick up passengers who are already waiting at stops.

Bartlett said the Metro is running now but that the MTA is likely to soon have to discontinue service on the above-ground part of the line north and west of Mondawmin station. The underground part of the line from Mondawmin to Johns Hopkins Hospital will remain in service, as it has through the twin storms. The issue here is the difficulty in maintaining contact with the third rail that powers the trains.

Light rail service will continue for now. As long as the snow doesn't fall too fast, the movement of the trains themselves can keep the tracks clear, he said.

MARC and commuter bus service have been canceled.

From Michael Dresser's Getting There blog

Worst of storm yet to come

Updated at 5:30 a.m.: As many in Central Maryland wake up to light snow or none in the air this morning, with only a few inches on the ground, it might be tempting to conclude -- to wish -- that this storm is over. Not so fast.

The National Weather Service predicted a lull in the action during the night as one phase of the storm ended and the next cranked up.

Many in the region were seeing that before dawn today. The snow had stopped, or continued with very fine, wet flakes. And that has prompted Sterling, Va., to reduce predicted storm totals for portions of the forecast area, especially to the south of Baltimore.

But forecasters insist that the heaviest snow, colder temperatures and winds gusting as high as 50 mph are still on the way later this morning and early this afternoon. The Winter Storm Warnings still call for 10 to 20 inches by the time the thing winds down this afternoon.


Read more.

From Frank Roylance's Maryland Weather blog