(UPDATE) Montgomery School Events Delayed, Power Outages Reported

(Updated at 12:35 p.m. Saturday) ROCKVILLE, MD — With freezing rain making roads an icy mess Saturday, Montgomery County Public Schools is delaying Saturday activities and Pepco crews are battling downed power lines.

The school system said in an update Saturday morning:

Montgomery County Public Schools is delaying all school-sponsored activities and athletic events until 1:00 p.m. today, Saturday, December 17, 2016 due to emergency weather conditions. The teacher recruitment job fair has been cancelled. All community use of MCPS facilities is delayed until 3:00 p.m.

Spotty power outages were reported by Pepco on its outage map, which showed almost 400 customers without power in the Rockville area, plus small outages near Wheaton, North Bethesda, Darnestown, and Olney.

If your power is out in Montgomery County, call these numbers report an outage to your utility: BG&E, 1-877-778-2222; First Energy 1-888-544-4877; or PEPCO, 1-877-737-2662.

The National Weather Service has issued winter weather advisories for the Baltimore and Washington metro areas from midnight until 9 a.m. Saturday. The advisory warned of slippery roads and walkways, making travel difficult.

"While some snow and sleet is expected, the main concern is a period of freezing rain which may make roads very icy, especially after the ongoing very cold weather," according to a weather service statement. "Winter Storm Watches remain in effect further north and west, where icing may be more severe."

Montgomery County and the Washington, DC, area are included in the weather advisory.

SEE ALSO:

• Warming Up Your Car in Cold Weather: Experts Disagree
• How to Prevent Water Pipes From Freezing During Extreme Cold Weather

The precipitation will begin as snow and sleet after midnight, changing to freezing rain before dawn on Saturday morning. It will eventually change to rain around mid-morning Saturday as temperatures warm.

The worst of the ice appears to be in communities north and west of Washington, as well as the Baltimore metro area.

There's only a chance for measurable snow in the forecast, and it would likely be trace amounts.

Here are 8 tips for driving in winter weather conditions, provided by AAA:

• Avoid driving while you’re fatigued. Getting the proper amount of rest before taking on winter weather tasks reduces driving risks.
• Never run a vehicle in an enclosed area, such as a garage.
• Make certain your tires are properly inflated.
• Keep your gas tank at least half full.
• If possible, avoid using your parking brake in cold, rainy and snowy weather.
• Do not use cruise control when driving on any slippery surface (wet, ice, sand).
• Always look and steer where you want to go.
• Use your seat belt every time you get into your vehicle.

The high Saturday will be near 45 degrees. Showers and high winds will continue through Sunday, with the high up to 54 degrees.

For the latest traffic information, check www.md511.org.
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