50MPH Wind Gusts Could Bring Power Outages In Maryland: NWS

MARYLAND — The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory Tuesday in Maryland with 50 mph gusts set to blast the state, which could likely bring down tree limbs and knock out power.

While the winds could cause some tree and property damage, it's an annoyance as the storm system to the north brings a late winter nor-easter to the New York metro and New England.

Mountain snow showers persist Tuesday into the evening, the weather service said. Cold with increasing northwest winds gusting to 50 mph Tuesday afternoon. Highs only low-mid 40s outside the mountains.

A wind advisory is in effect until 2 a.m. Wednesday for much of the state.

Winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph may sweep through the region from the northwest, according to the National Weather Service.

Counties included in the wind advisory are: Baltimore, Prince George's, Anne Arundel, Charles, St. Marys, Calvert, Montgomery, Howard and Harford.

Cities under the advisory include: Eldersburg, Westminster, Reisterstown, Cockeysville, Elkton, Baltimore, Bowie, Suitland-Silver Hill, Clinton, College Park, Greenbelt, Laurel, Camp Springs, Glen Burnie, Annapolis, Severn, South Gate, Severna Park, Arnold, Odenton, St. Charles, Waldorf,
Lexington Park, California, Chesapeake Beach, Dunkirk, North Beach, Lusby, Germantown, Damascus, Bethesda, Rockville, Gaithersburg, Silver Spring, Columbia, Ellicott City, Jarrettsville, and Aberdeen.

For the Mid-Atlantic region, blustery winds will range from 40 to 50 mph across portions of the Appalachians, Northern Virginia and Maryland, according to AccuWeather forecasters. Gusts can reach speeds of 50 to 60 mph along the spine of the Appalachians, the forecasters said.

"As a powerful coastal storm wallops New England, the Mid-Atlantic gets blasted by strong, chilly winds for the next 36 to 48 hours," The Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang said Tuesday morning. "Not until late Wednesday will winds start to ease and temperatures return closer to normal."

People should secure objects outside. Drivers should be careful, especially with high-profile vehicles. Tree limbs may blow down, and a few power outages could result, officials say.

With high winds in the forecast for Maryland Tuesday and Wednesday, Baltimore Gas & Electric recommended customers download the BGE app to quickly report power outages and monitor the outage map for status updates.

Here's the latest Maryland forecast:

Tuesday: A slight chance of rain and snow showers before 11am, then a slight chance of rain showers between 11am and noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 46. Windy, with a west wind 21 to 30 mph, with gusts as high as 48 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 32. Windy, with a northwest wind 22 to 29 mph, with gusts as high as 46 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 51. Breezy, with a northwest wind 21 to 24 mph, with gusts as high as 39 mph.

Wednesday Night: Clear, with a low around 34. Breezy, with a northwest wind 15 to 20 mph decreasing to 8 to 13 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 31 mph.

Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 61. West wind 6 to 9 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 45.

Friday: A chance of rain after 9am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 62. Chance of precipitation is 40%