BALTIMORE, MD—The National Weather Service has issued updated winter storm warnings and advisories for central Maryland as the next round of wintry precipitation approaches.

Snow will move into the Baltimore area from the southwest to the northeast on Tuesday afternoon and linger through late Wednesday morning.

Snowfall rates of 0.50- to 1.00-inch per hour are possible in some areas on Tuesday night.

Motorists should plan on slippery road conditions. The hazardous conditions could impact the Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning commutes.

Maryland State Highway Administration personnel are busy preparing for the storm.  Crews are pretreating roads with salt brine, which prevents the initial bonding of snow and ice from adhering to the pavement. The State Highway Administration is encouraging drivers to limit unnecessary travel during the storm to allow crews to have space to effectively and efficiently treat the roads. State Highway Administration emergency patrols will also be deployed to assist disabled motorists, help with any crash cleanup and remove debris from travel portions of state roads.

For those who must travel, the latest travel information is available at https://roads.maryland.gov, where highway users can access the Statewide Transportation Operations Resource Map  (STORM)  application that identifies where State Highway Administration and contractual equipment are and where they have been, as well as real-time weather information.

The State Highway Administration offers the following advice for winter driving:

• Slow down. Posted speed limits are for ideal (dry) weather conditions.
• Use extra caution on elevated surfaces, such as bridges, overpasses, and ramps as they are the first to freeze.
• Don’t crowd the plow. Stay behind and leave plenty of space between your vehicle and State Highway Administration equipment. Crews are literally clearing a path for highway users.
• Before driving, clear all snow from the vehicle as remaining snow on hoods and roofs can become ice and dislodge during highway travel which poses hazards to other motorists.
• Move over or slow down when approaching emergency equipment – It’s the law!

Drivers should ensure their vehicles are in proper working order, including adequate tire tread, lighting systems are operational and that fluids are at the recommended levels. Residents should also clear snow from the entire vehicle before driving.

For a look at real-time traffic conditions, visit https://md511.maryland.gov.

Additional information, including expected total accumulations as well as precipitation arrival time, is available in the NWS graphics below.