Crews are preparing for winter weather as a storm system approaches Maryland.

The National Weather Service says that snow will begin to fall Saturday into Sunday.  Most forecasters seem to agree on a general 2 – 4 inches accumulating in northeastern Baltimore County.

The NWS added that it will remain up and running through the government shutdown to provide reliable forecast and warning information.

“We will continue to update our website & social media,” NWS tweeted, “with posts and replies limited to subjects directly related to forecasts and warnings. Thanks for your understanding.”

Meanwhile, Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) crews are actively preparing for the winter storm. Contractor crews are pretreating roads with salt brine and readying snow removal equipment in anticipation of winter operations Saturday and Sunday.

The storm’s arrival on a weekend when traffic volumes are significantly lower than work days is positive, but drivers are still reminded to be safe and vigilant on the roads.

With pretreating complete by Saturday, crews will begin staging Saturday evening, so a rapid deployment can be implemented once precipitation begins. MDOT SHA and contractor crews will continue to work until all lanes and shoulders are clear. Motorists are encouraged to limit travel and get errands complete before the storm begins late Saturday.

Drivers are also reminded to not pass snow plows. The safest place to be is in the back of a snow plow or plow trains.