Hagerstown, Maryland – Ice up to two tenths of an inch is glazing bridges and overpasses across western Maryland and the Potomac Highlands right now, creating slick travel ahead of the Tuesday morning commute.
According to the National Weather Service in Baltimore/Washington, a Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect through 10 a.m. Tuesday for much of northern Virginia, central Maryland and the eastern West Virginia panhandle, and until 1 p.m. Tuesday for western Maryland counties including Washington, Frederick and Allegany, along with Morgan, Berkeley and Jefferson counties in West Virginia. Ridge tops in Garrett County and along the Blue Ridge could see up to 0.20 inches of ice.
Interstate 68 over Sideling Hill, Interstate 70 near Hagerstown and elevated stretches of I-81 in Berkeley County may freeze first. In northern Virginia, bridges along I-66, Route 50 and the Dulles Toll Road are especially vulnerable to slick spots through mid-morning.
Transportation agencies urge drivers to slow down, increase following distance and check 511 for live road updates. Even a light glaze can snap small tree limbs and weigh down power lines, raising the risk of isolated outages.
Ice should taper from southwest to northeast by early afternoon, but untreated secondary roads could remain slick beyond 1 p.m. Additional advisories remain possible if temperatures hold near freezing.
