Arctic Blast Targets MD After Rainy, Stormy New Year's Eve

MARYLAND — A wet and windy New Year's Eve in Maryland will be followed by a series of cold fronts bringing chillier temperatures and wintry conditions to much of the region.

Dec. 31 will start off dry before showers move into the Baltimore region this afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. Thunderstorms are possible after 5 p.m. and rain is likely to continue through the early morning hours Wednesday.

Strong winds are also possible on Tuesday, with gusts reaching up to 21 mph, NWS forecasters said.

In Western Maryland, a winter storm warning was also in effect Tuesday for Garrett County until 4 a.m. Wednesday. According to the NWS, the county could see 4-8 inches of snow with locally higher amounts from Keysers Ridge down along the western face of Backbone Mountain.

By this weekend, things will take a very cold turn heading into the new year. Several blasts of Arctic air are expected to sweep through the eastern half of the country during the first half of January, AccuWeather long-range forecasters warn.

“Bitterly cold air will make a big return to the East Coast starting this weekend. This could end up being the coldest January since 2011 for the U.S. as a whole,” AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Expert Paul Pastelok said.

In Baltimore, the warmest temperatures this weekend will only hit the mid- to upper 30s.

According to the Capital Weather Gang, New Year's Day will also be blustery in Maryland with wind gusts reaching 30 to 35 mph. Some flurries are possible in the wake of another cold front on Friday, while a third front could bring snow or a wintry mix Sunday night into Monday.

Here's a look at the detailed NWS forecast for the Baltimore region:

Tuesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms between 4pm and 5pm, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 5pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 57. Southeast wind 7 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and a quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tuesday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 10pm, then a slight chance of showers between 10pm and 1am. Low around 44. Light and variable wind becoming west 5 to 7 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 50. Breezy, with a west wind 11 to 16 mph increasing to 18 to 23 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 39 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 33. West wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 42. West wind 13 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 30.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 41.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 27.

Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 35.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 25.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 37.

Sunday Night: A chance of snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27. Chance of precipitation is 40%