Weather
Maryland Winter Outlook 2026-27: Baltimore Snow, Rain Chances
Baltimore, MD – Maryland's winter outlook for 2026 27 is beginning to take shape, with federal forecasters favoring warmer than normal temperatures and increased precipitation across the state, includ
By Audrey Sloan · 2026-10-16T16:10:04.145Z
Baltimore, MD – Maryland's winter outlook for 2026 27 is beginning to take shape, with federal forecasters favoring warmer than normal temperatures and increased precipitation across the state, including Baltimore, Annapolis and communities surrounding Washington, D.C.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center, the seasonal outlook released Thursday, October 15, favors above normal temperatures and precipitation across Maryland from November 2026 through January 2027.
The temperature forecast places Maryland within an area showing roughly a 40% to 50% probability of above normal temperatures, suggesting a warmer seasonal average rather than an absence of freezing weather.
Meanwhile, the precipitation outlook favors wetter than normal conditions, with probabilities generally ranging from 40% to 50% across much of Maryland and increasing toward the southern Mid Atlantic.
For Baltimore and surrounding Baltimore County, this could mean more frequent periods of rain or other precipitation during the coming months. However, the outlook does not specify how much snow the region will receive.
Annapolis, Columbia, Frederick and communities across Montgomery and Prince George's counties are also within areas favoring above normal precipitation.
Western Maryland, including Hagerstown and Cumberland, remains vulnerable to freezing temperatures, mountain snowfall and winter travel disruptions despite the warmer seasonal signal.
Forecasters are also monitoring a potentially very strong El Niño heading into winter. This climate pattern can influence storm tracks across the United States, sometimes increasing precipitation across portions of the southern and eastern regions.
However, above normal precipitation does not necessarily mean above normal snowfall. Whether a winter storm produces rain, snow or ice depends heavily on temperatures and individual storm tracks.
Drivers using Interstate 95, Interstate 70, Interstate 83 and the Capital Beltway should continue preparing for possible winter weather hazards.
NOAA's outlook represents seasonal probabilities, not a prediction of specific storms. Significant snow and cold outbreaks remain possible even during winters that average warmer than normal.