SNOW UPDATE ❄️:  Heads up if you are at the beach this weekend.  This system is still favoring the coastal areas of the state with Ocean City right smack dab in the 8-12 inches of snow spot.  There is a very sharp cutoff line between this location and the remainder of the state.  For the rest of us ... a widespread 1-3 inches of snow appears to be on tap that  could start at anytime tomorrow afternoon and stretch through until Saturday morning.  While that is not much expected accumulation, temps will be low enough for snow to easily stick.

I am a sucker for beach snow pictures.  I find them fascinating.  If Ocean City truly receives what is being forecasted, it will be a wild sight.  I hope all of you are staying warm.  We have had some of the coldest air in awhile sticking with us for the past many days.

Stay tuned an #followthesnowman ⛄️

Check out this photo below that our web site host, Matthew C. Shuman captured on the window of his truck this morning.  Nature is amazing.  Works of art all around us in the smallest details of our lives.

Space for this page provided by Maryland musician and artist, Matthew C. Shuman. Stop on in and find out more: The Music and Art of Matthew C. Shuman. He is known across the state for his hand drawn pencil pet portraits. Visit his BLOG. If you are a fan of solo piano music stream it free, below. He's approaching 5,000,000 streams across all digital platforms. 
PANDORA   SPOTIFY   APPLE MUSIC   AMAZON
Here is "Night Storm" from waaaay back ... before The Weather Channel picked it up for use in their cable programming. 

SNOW UPDATE ❄️:  Good evening everyone!  So many thoughts from so many different weather sources around the area for this next potential system.  As of now it appears we might see light snow start at some point Friday afternoon and stretch into early Saturday morning.  It appears to be hugging the coast at the moment ... meaning the closer you are located to the ocean ... the more you could possibly see.

Possible accumulation numbers are very uncertain at the moment.  I am hoping that we will have more of an idea of what to expect with this system at some point tomorrow.  

Below are the current thoughts from Accuweather and the NWS.  

Stay tuned and #followthesnowman ⛄️

SNOW UPDATE ❄️ and MD SCHOOL STATUS SNOWBALL PREDICTION ⏰: The Thursday morning system is still on track and I am still sticking with the original thought of a widespread 1-3 inches! This is a perfect storm for widespread delays and most likely forced decisions to close. The timing could not be any better to potentially cause major disruptions to the morning commute. A 4AM start time with rain will wash away the salt on the roads (pretreatment will be pretty much pointless). Temperatures are expected to plummet as the morning progresses ... flash freezing everything.

If school systems were to delay it would just shift school traffic into a potentially worse weather/commuting situation. I am strongly thinking schools will be forced to make the decision to close. If you were to design a system to intentionally mess up the morning commute, it would pretty much look like this one.

So ... taking all of this into consideration and assuming nothing changes ... get ready for 4 SNOWBALLS for Thursday, January 20, 2022 (see below for snowball scale).

The area is now under a winter weather advisory. Here is the latest from the NWS.
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Baltimore MD/Washington DC
109 PM EST Wed Jan 19 2022

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 11 AM EST THURSDAY
WHAT: Snow. Snow accumulations of up to two inches with locally higher amounts around three inches possible.
WHERE: Portions of central, north central, northeast and northern Maryland and northern Virginia.
WHEN: From 4 AM to 11 AM EST Thursday.
IMPACTS: Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions will impact the morning commute.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS: Precipitation will start as rain and then switch over to snow during the Thursday morning commute.

Space for this page provided by Maryland musician and artist, Matthew C. Shuman. Stop on in and find out more: The Music and Art of Matthew C. Shuman. He is known across the state for his hand drawn pencil pet portraits. Visit his BLOG. If you are a fan of solo piano music stream it free, below. He's approaching 5,000,000 streams across all digital platforms.
PANDORA SPOTIFY APPLE MUSIC AMAZON

Special thanks to the Carroll Arts Council for selecting one of his most recent pieces, “The Majestic Lion,” to display in their Whimsy Exhibition. On display now in their art gallery. Stop on in and check it out. See more of his drawings here. Message him at Matthew.shuman@comcast.net if you are interested in having something drawn.

SNOW UPDATE ❄️:  I'm back. lol  Monitoring two systems that might affect us this week.  One on what is looking like Thursday morning and then another again Friday into Saturday.

THURSDAY
Let's start with Thursday.  In reality, it doesn't appear too significant.  What it does have going for it however, is its potential timing.  It could totally mess up the Thursday morning commute.  Another cold front is expected to roll through Thursday morning.  Hitching a ride will at first be rain, but then a quick (and possibly powerful) transition to snow.  The intensity could produce a few inches in a short amount of time.  The cold temps that are creating the snow are expected to drop even colder throughout the morning.  Anything that falls will most likely freeze.  

School officials are going to have some tough calls to make.  At the moment, I'm seeing the potential for delays ... maybe even closures simply due to the timing.  Preparing some snowballs just in case, but we will have to see what happens when some more data comes in.  Based on what I am seeing now ... I'd say a quick widespread 1-3 inches of snow during the Thursday morning commute.

FRIDAY --> SATURDAY
This appears to be more of a substantial system than Thursday.  It is still too far out to make any "accurate" predictions, but I did want you to at least put it on your radar.  

I know it's only Tuesday, but I hope your week is off to a great start!

Stay tuned and #followthesnowman ⛄️

SNOW UPDATE ❄️: Good Sunday morning to all of The Snowman Community. The next winter system is knocking at our door. The original forecast from a couple days ago appears to be holding, We are still looking at a possible widespread 2-4 inches of snow with pockets closer to 5 or 6 depending. As temperatures rise above freezing a bit overnight tonight we should see a changeover to sleet and freezing rain. The ground temperature is currently frigid. My weather station here at TSH (The Snowman Headquarters in Westminster, MD) is holding at 12°F with a wind chill of 6°F. Anything that falls will certainly stick on untreated surfaces and (with heavy snowfall rates) possibly on treated surfaces as well. We will have to see what impact the changeover to all rain will do to any projected accumulation.

Here is one final wrap-up from the NWS:
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 1 AM EST MONDAY
WHAT: Mixed precipitation. Additional snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches and ice accumulations of around one tenth of an inch. Winds gusting as high as 45 mph.
WHERE: Portions of The District of Columbia, central, north central, northeast and northern Maryland and northern Virginia.
WHEN: From 1 PM this afternoon to 1 AM EST Monday.
IMPACTS: Plan on slippery road conditions

As I sit here typing up this update this morning I am thankful for a nice cup of hot coffee and heat. At the end of the day, it’s alway a the simple things in life. You all have a wonderful day and enjoy whatever nature brings us today. She always has the final say. And as always …

Stay tuned and #followthesnowman ☃️

SNOW UPDATE ❄️:  TGIF!  I hope you all are enjoying your Friday evening!  Mrs. Snowman and I were out and about tonight and quickly noticed the cold front rolling through.  If you have not noticed yet, the wind chill is getting pretty brutal.  In fact, wind chill temps are expected to drop down into the single digits.  TSH (The Snowman Headquarters in Westminster, MD) is expected to drop to 1°F.  😳🥶

More data has trickled in for the system expected to arrive on Sunday.  At the moment I am  still sticking to a widespread 2-4" of snow ... although I am leaning toward the heavier side.  I wouldn't be surprised to see pockets of 5-6" inches in spots for some lucky few.  At the moment ... the system as a whole seems to be holding more to the west.  Should she shift just a wee bit to the east, we could easily see these potential accumulation numbers rise.

We are currently under a winter storm watch (issued today).  Here is what to potentially expect from the NWS.  Some items to note: Wind gusts up to 45 mph and snowfall at rates of 1 to 3 inches per hour.

WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM SUNDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH MONDAY MORNING
WHAT:  Significant snow and wintry precipitation possible. Total snow accumulations of 1 to 3 inches are most likely, with up to 5 inches possible. Ice accumulations of up to one tenth of an inch are possible. Winds could gust as high as 45 mph.
WHERE: The District of Columbia, portions of central and northern Maryland, and central and northern Virginia. 
WHEN:  From Sunday afternoon through Monday morning.
IMPACTS:  Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the Monday morning commute.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS:  Snow may fall at 1 to 3 inches per hour late Sunday afternoon and early Sunday evening, resulting in nearly impassable roads.

As the snow tapers off it appears as though it may change over to sleet/freezing rain (potentially up to a 1/4 of an inch).

I wish you all a great weekend! Stay warm and safe ... and enjoy the snow should things transpire as they appear they will.

Stay tuned and #followthesnowman ⛄️

SNOW UPDATE ❄️:  Well hello there, everyone!  I hope the week is going well.  The week has been fairly uneventful ... weather-wise.  A lot of cold and a mix of sun ever since we experienced the freezing rain last Sunday.  I am sure by now you have heard much talk about the potential for snow this coming Sunday --> Monday.  Anything from a HUGE snow storm, to hmm ... maybe not that much, to sleet, rain ... you name it.   

As we are getting closer, more data is coming in on this next system and it is proving to be a tough one to predict.  Why?  The infamous MD rain/snow line.  Where will it be?  Will there even be one?  

​For me, looking at the computer models ... I had high hopes at first for some "decent" snowfall ... but at the moment things are just too gosh darn uncertain.  Let's give it another day and perhaps we will be in a better position to make some determinations.  For now, if we get snow, I'm thinking a widespread 2-4."

To give you an idea of what the NWS is saying ... here is one of their recent graphics. 

Stay tuned and #followthesnowman ⛄️

The SUEAS (Snow Update Email Alert System) might be back online 🤞.   Trying to resolve things with Google proved unsuccessful.  The former Snowman address had far too many contacts and was flagged as a spamming account.  I had no choice but to create a new email.  "TheSnowmanMD@gmail.com"

We will see how long this one lasts.  Fortunately, The Snowman Community mailing list was backed up and I was able to import it into the new account.  I hope I am not missing anyone.

ICE UPDATE ❄️:  Good evening, everyone!  I hope you enjoyed the weekend.  We are seeing a race between the lingering rain and the wind from the cold front rolling through.  Which one wins out will determine if there is black ice on the roads tomorrow morning (and, if so, how much we might encounter).  

It appeared as though it would dry up, but now there is real concern it might freeze before that is possible.  Please use extra caution when venturing out tomorrow morning.  Because we simply cannot mess around with ice, I am thinking there might be some delays tomorrow morning.  Let's throw 1 snowball tonight.  Regardless of whether or not there are delays, please be safe.

From the NWS:
Patchy Ice Expected Early Monday Morning.  
Temperatures will fall below freezing across the entire region by dawn Monday morning.  This will result in patchy ice from the lingering moisture from Sunday's rain and melting snow.  Early morning motorists should use caution and consider that any surface appearing to be wet may in fact be icy.

Stay tuned and #followthesnowman ☃️

​#MARYLAND SCHOOL STATUS DELAY/CLOSURE SNOWBALL SCALE
1 Snowball = Slight chance of a delay, but most likely opening on time.
2 Snowballs = 50% chance of a delay and ever so slight chance of a closing.
3 Snowballs = It could go either way. Probably at least a delay, but a closure isn't off the table either.
4 Snowballs = A delay is pretty much inevitable. There is also a 60% chance of a closure.
5 Snowballs = Guaranteed delay. You can also party, because schools will almost certainly be closed.
(*School Status Predictions are for #FCPS, #CCPS, #MCPS, #HCPSS and surrounding counties)

ICE UPDATE ❄️:  Good Saturday afternoon, everyone!  I hope your bitter cold weekend is off to a great start.  Our eventful first week of 2022 full of winter weather continues early tomorrow morning until NOON.  Be on the lookout for light freezing rain/drizzle.  Not too much is expected, BUT it does not take much ice to cause a problem.  This event looks like it will effect most of the north/central part of the state.  If this were a school day, more snowballs would be necessary.  If you can stay home, that is probably the best bet, but if you have to be out ... please be careful.

​From the NWS:
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM TO NOON
EST SUNDAY

WHAT:  Freezing rain. Ice accumulations of around one tenth of an inch.
WHERE:  Portions of central, north central, northeast and northern Maryland and northern Virginia.
WHEN:  From 6 AM to noon EST Sunday.
IMPACTS:  Difficult travel conditions are possible.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS:  Slow down and use caution while traveling. Prepare for possible power outages.  When venturing outside, watch your first few steps taken on steps, sidewalks, and driveways, which could be icy and slippery, increasing your risk of a fall and injury.

As many of you already know, the SUEAS (Snow Update Email Alert System), is down.  I have a request in with GOOGLE to unlock the account.  The Snowman Community mailing list is so large, the account was flagged as suspicious.  I am waiting to hear back from them and I will update you when I have new information. 

Enjoy the rest of the weekend everyone and stay warm!

Stay tuned and #followthesnowman ☃️

Here is one of Matthew's latest pieces titled: "Night Drive"  Available across all major digital music platforms for streaming and download.

​Check out this unusual instrument of his ... it is a RavVast Tongue Drum straight from Russia.

SNOW UPDATE ❄️ and MD SCHOOL STATUS SNOWBALL PREDICTION ⏰: Good afternoon, everyone! The forecast and prospect of significant snow is still holding for our great state. In fact, there is even more confidence at this point than there was at the time of my last post. A wide spread 3-4 inches across the state with pockets potentially higher!

With all the new data, timing of the storm (overnight ... hindering cleanup by morning) and even higher overall confidence ... it is with great excitement I present to you the coveted 5 SNOWBALLS! Widespread school closings and surely delays across the board. This is not a drill. 😂

The latest from the NWS:
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT FROM 9 PM THIS EVENING TO 7 AM EST FRIDAY
WHAT: Snow accumulations of 2 to 4 inches.
WHERE: The Washington and Baltimore Metropolitan areas, portions of central and southern Maryland, and portions northern Virginia.
WHEN: From 9 PM this evening to 7 AM EST Friday.
IMPACTS: Plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning commute.
ADDITIONAL DETAILS: The heaviest snow is expected overnight when snowfall rates of 1 inch per hour are possible. Visibility will be reduced to near or less than one-half mile.

​#MARYLAND SCHOOL STATUS DELAY/CLOSURE SNOWBALL SCALE
1 Snowball = Slight chance of a delay, but most likely opening on time.
2 Snowballs = 50% chance of a delay and ever so slight chance of a closing.
3 Snowballs = It could go either way. Probably at least a delay, but a closure isn't off the table either.
4 Snowballs = A delay is pretty much inevitable. There is also a 60% chance of a closure.
5 Snowballs = Guaranteed delay. You can also party, because schools will almost certainly be closed.
(*School Status Predictions are for #FCPS, #CCPS, #MCPS, #HCPSS and surrounding counties)

The SUEAS (Snow Update Email Alert System) is still down as Google has locked my account. The Snowman Communtiy mailing list is apparently too large and they thought I was a spammer and flagged account. 😳🤪 Working on getting this resolved. In the meantime, feel free to bookmark this page if you’d like to stay up to date.

Stay tuned and #followthesnowman ☃️

Special thanks to Maryland musician and artist Matthew C. Shuman for providing the home for The Snowman Community on the web. Support his work here to keep this page rolling.
​www.matthewcshuman.com