With the National Weather Service issuing a Winter Weather Advisory for Saturday due to expected snow and freezing rain, Montgomery County is warning residents to prepare for icy roads and bridges.
The Winter Weather Advisory will be in effect from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. for central and southeast Montgomery County, and will last until midnight Saturday for northwest Montgomery County, according to the National Weather Service Baltimore/Washington, D.C., office.
The county could receive up to 1 inch of snow and sleet and one-tenth of an inch of ice, according to the advisory. Precipitation will likely start as snow in the morning, before turning into sleet and then freezing rain into the afternoon. According to the National Weather Service, temperatures could reach a low of roughly 28 degrees and a high of 32 degrees.
Friday’s advisory follows Wednesday night’s ice storm that resulted in vehicle collisions, downed trees and wires, transformer fires and damaged utility poles across Montgomery County on Thursday morning.
More winter weather could be on the way next week. The Weather Channel is predicting the county and the Washington, D.C., region could receive several inches of snow Tuesday.
Preparing for Saturday’s weather
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation Storm Operations Center will activate at 10 a.m. Saturday to monitor roadway conditions and treat roads as necessary, according to a Friday afternoon statement from the county.
Ice accumulation could lead to downed wires and power outages, the statement said. Utilities serving the area include Pepco, the Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. and First Energy, all of which provide apps and phone numbers to report power outages:
- Baltimore Gas and Electric: 877-778-2222;
- Potomac Edison/First Energy: 888-544-4877; and
- PEPCO: 877-737-2662.
Residents can report water main breaks or leaks by contacting the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission at 301-206-4002, by sending an email to emergencyCallCenter@wsscwater.com or by using the WSSC Water Mobile App.
