Bitterly Cold Temperatures Forecasted This Week; Another Storm Possible Later This Week

HANOVER, MD (January 7, 2025) — The first major winter storm of 2025 has moved out of the region, but Marylanders should still use caution, stay prepared, and be mindful of hazards when traveling. The storm caused significant snowfall in many parts of the State, including more than 8 inches of accumulation in some areas, and led Governor Wes Moore to declare a State of Emergency on Sunday, January 5.

Take Caution on Roads

The storm brought significant snowfall and icy conditions to Maryland roads. While crews have been working to treat, plow, and clear roads, some areas, particularly backroads, may be hazardous.

• Drive slow when on icy or slick roads and beware of potential black ice.
• Don’t crowd snow plows, and use caution if you pass the plow.
• If you go off the road or stall, stay in your vehicle if it’s safe.
• Place road flares, lights, or reflectors around your vehicle for visibility if you can safely do so.
• Be mindful of carbon monoxide poisoning (also when operating a home generator). Ensure your exhaust pipe is clear of snow, and run your car sporadically — just long enough to stay warm.
• Always travel with a vehicle safety kit containing at least food, water, blankets, salt or kitty litter for traction and jumper cables. A first aid kit and a way to charge your phone and other devices is also helpful.

Staying Safe During Extreme Cold

Frostbite is damage to your body caused by your skin and nerves beginning to freeze. Symptoms and warning signs include:

• Numbness or loss of feeling around fingers, toes, ears, or other extremities
• White or grayish-yellow skin on your fingers, toes, ears, or other extremities
• Firm or waxy-looking skin

WHAT TO DO:

• Get out of the cold as soon as possible. Go to a warm room and warm the affected body parts with body heat, blankets, or by soaking in warm water.
• DO NOT rub, massage, or use heating pads on the affected areas. That can cause more damage!
• If symptoms don’t resolve, get medical help immediately.

Hypothermia is when you have an unusually (and unsafely) low body temperature. Any temperature below 95 degrees Fahrenheit is an emergency!

Symptoms and warning signs include:

• Shivering
• Exhaustion
• Confusion or memory loss
• Drowsiness or slurred speech
• Fumbling hands or reduced motor function

WHAT TO DO:

• Get out of the cold as soon as possible, and remove any wet clothing.
• Keep dry and wrapped in warm blankets – again; more layers are better.
• Warm the center of the body first: chest, neck, head, and groin.
  • Drinking warm, non-alcoholic beverages can help if the affected person is conscious.
• Stay wrapped up and warm until normal body temperature returns.
• If symptoms don’t resolve, get medical help immediately.

Both hypothermia and frostbite can set in quickly and may progress without the victim noticing. If you’re ever in doubt about how far a condition has gotten or not sure if the treatments above are helping, get medical help immediately. It’s far better to ask a professional and end up not needing them than to wait and discover worse damage later.

During the cold days ahead, make an effort to check on vulnerable relatives, neighbors and friends to make sure they are safe and warm. If you or someone you know doesn’t have access to a warm residence, check your local government website for the availability of shelters or warming centers.

Seeing the Impact of the Storm

You can see snowfall totals, temperature by region, wind speed, and more weather information via Maryland’s Mesonet. You can view a map of Maryland and the 21 and growing Mesonet sites here: https://mesonet.umd.edu/

The Maryland Business Emergency Operations Center (MBEOC) is a centralized hub within the State Emergency Operation Center designed to support emergency management efforts between state agencies, the private sector businesses and other stakeholders during disasters or emergencies. The overall goal of the MBEOC is to facilitate communication, resource sharing, and collaboration to ensure that the private sector can make the best decisions for their employees and business operations and effectively contribute to the response and recovery processes. Learn more about resources available through the MBEOC by checking out their website or emailing questions to beoc.mdem@maryland.gov.

For more information on preparedness, visit mdem.maryland.gov, follow MDEM on X at @MDMEMA, or follow MDEM’s Facebook page at facebook.com/MDMEMA.

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CONTACT:
Jorge Castillo, jorge.castillo@maryland.gov, 443-381-3518
Ed McDonough, ed.mcdonough@maryland.gov, 410-446-3333
Travis Brown, travis.brown2@maryland.gov, 410-702-3726
24/7 line: 877-636-2872