Maryland winters have been all over the place the last few years. We've had good measureable snow, and we've had next to nothing.
WMAR, Maryland's Most Accurate Meteorologists are looking ahead to the 2024/25 winter season.
If you're a fan of the snow, we may not have the best news for you.
Coldest Temperatures in Baltimore
Winter can throw some real curve balls here in Maryland.
Here are the coldest and warmest temperatures we have seen.
Since 1899 we hit a state record of -7° five times.
- January 22, 1984
- January 17, 1982
- January 29, 1963
- February 9, 1934
- February 10, 1899
On the other hand, our warmest temperature reached 83° back on February 25, 1930. Can you imagine?
What can we expect from the 2024-25 Winter?
One of the main things we look at is sea surface temperatures off the coast of South America. Sounds weird, right?
This is what we call a teleconnection. It is something that has a far-reaching effect. We name this phenomenon depending on if water temperatures are cooler or warmer than average. It is called El Nino or La Nina.
We are heading into a weak La Nina phase. For us here in Baltimore, that historically means near-average precipitation, but warmer-than-average temperatures. For this reason, We are thinking we will have more rain than snow events.
So what does the team predict?
- Stevie is forecasting 15" of snow.
- Chris is forecasting 18" of snow.
- Ally, who is moving to our sister station in Tampa soon, says Baltimore will see 22 inches this winter.
- And Abigail, says 12 inches of snow.
Of course, things can change, and one big snowstorm could change that quickly.
Maryland Winters
The average snowfall amount for a season in the Baltimore area is about 20 inches, based on the 1991-2020 climate period.
Baltimore usually sees measurable snowfall five months out of the year, from November through March. February is typically the snowiest month with an average value of about 8 inches.
Never has Baltimore seen a winter without snow since records began in the late-1800s.
However, the 2022-2023 winter season was the least snowy on record with only two-tenths of an inch measured.
The snowiest season on record in Baltimore was back in 2009-2010 with a whopping 77 inches of snow. The second snowiest season was 1995-1996 followed by 2002-2003.
I'm sure many Marylanders remember the infamous back-to-back blizzards, AKA "Snowmageddon" and "The Blizzard of 2010" that February. .
A grand total of 50 inches of snow was measured that month, making it the single snowiest month in Baltimore's history since records began.
The Blizzard of 1996 brought a little over 22 inches to Baltimore in early January. The Presidents Day Blizzard of 2003 went down in history as the heaviest snowstorm to ever hit Baltimore since the 1870s with 28 inches recorded. The Blizzard of 2016 shattered that record with a staggering 29.2 inches of snow in late January.
Winter Weather Car Care
As temperatures get colder (or even before they do) it is a good idea to be winter-ready. Here is a list of items to keep in your car in case you get stuck.
A few tips on some of these items. Cat litter is great to keep for weight in your trunk to help get traction in snow. If you can't get your car moving, cat litter is great to spread under your tire. It will soak up some of the moisture and give you traction to drive out.
Water is great to keep for obvious reasons. A tip, though. Make sure it is in a bottle that can expand, so when it freezes it won't break the bottle and leak when it warms up.