Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Slick interstates and strong wind gusts could disrupt travel across Pennsylvania and Maryland beginning Thursday, Feb. 26, as a wetter late-winter pattern raises the risk for freezing rain and gusty conditions through Monday, March 2.
According to NOAA’s 6- to 10-day outlook issued Friday, above-normal precipitation is favored across the Mid-Atlantic during the Thursday-to-Monday stretch. With temperatures hovering near seasonal averages, brief drops toward 32 degrees may allow freezing rain to develop, especially overnight and during early morning commutes.
Region-wide impacts may focus along the I-95 corridor from Philadelphia through Wilmington and Baltimore to the Capital Beltway. Elevated roadways, including the Schuylkill Expressway, bridges over the Susquehanna River and the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, could turn slick first if light ice accumulates. Inland areas such as Harrisburg, State College and Hagerstown may see rain briefly mix with freezing rain before changing back as temperatures fluctuate.
Wind risk increases late in the period, particularly Sunday into Monday. Gusts between 45 and 50 mph are possible across the Laurel Highlands, western Maryland and along the Chesapeake Bay shoreline. Strong winds combined with saturated soil could down tree limbs and trigger scattered power outages.
Residents should secure outdoor items, charge essential devices and allow extra travel time during peak icing windows. The unsettled pattern continues through March 2, and additional advisories may be issued across the Mid-Atlantic.
