Baltimore, MD – The Mid-Atlantic is setting up for a colder and wetter stretch as November ends and December begins, bringing elevated chances for cold rain and even early-season snow in some inland areas.
According to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, temperatures from Nov. 29 through Dec. 5 are expected to run below normal across Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, northern Virginia, and West Virginia. The strongest cold signal focuses on Pennsylvania and the higher elevations of western Maryland and West Virginia, where overnight readings may dip near freezing.
NOAA’s precipitation outlook also shows a broad region of above-normal precipitation centered over the Ohio Valley and extending directly into the Mid-Atlantic. This increases the likelihood of several storm systems moving through the area next week, bringing widespread cold rain for major metro areas including Baltimore, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and Richmond.
While coastal zones will primarily see rain, colder inland regions — such as central Pennsylvania, western Maryland, West Virginia’s mountains, and the Shenandoah Valley — could see periods of wintry mix or wet snow, especially during nighttime and early morning hours when temperatures fall to their lowest.
Forecasters note that the pattern does not currently point to a single major storm, but instead a series of disturbances capable of producing travel issues, slick roads in the mountains, and isolated delays as the holiday travel season continues.
Commuters and holiday travelers across the Mid-Atlantic should monitor forecast updates closely through early next week, especially those driving through higher elevations or across I-68, I-81, and the Pennsylvania Turnpike, where wintry weather is most likely.
