Does Maryland get really bad snow storms and severe weather?

[live_strong28]

Originally Posted by North Beach Person

Yeah, maybe for the kids but schools and even the Feds are shut down in bad weather so there shouldn't be that much ferrying to do.

Yeah, assuming that call is made before people wake up. Different story if it happens during the early afternoon.

[NYMD67]

Yes, they are much more prepared because they have much more snow. That makes sense for their local gov. to invest in more snow equipment/personnel.

In the WMA, we have a lot more roads with many more cars on them and people with a lot of long, bad commutes. All that adds to trouble during inclimate weather if it were to happen.

Agreed. I understand that the commutes in MD (for the most part) are longer,etc... than anywhere in Utica ,NY... wasn't arguing that fact?
Of course upstate NY is more prepared as it is a way of life from October to sometimes April for them... (although,even the winters there are much more mild in these recent years).

Because of the population density here compared to Utica, there are just that many more people who have to ferry their kids here and there for after school activities, or to pick them up, after work. Life in the WMA is probably a lot more complicated/involved than in little tiny Utica where the median income for a family is about $33.8k.

Not really sure where income has anything to do with how well winter's are handled...

[live_strong28]

Originally Posted by westsideboy

?? Since when did lower median family income equate to less complicated involved lives? Why would people in Utica not have to drive to work, school, etc. just like people in Maryland? I think the simple truth is if places in Upstate NY closed because of winter weather they would be closed 5 months out of the year.

Since a lower median income really restricts you on what you can and can not do beyond what's offered at the public school.

[cpterp]

Here's what I posted on the DC board:

"from NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration based in Silver Spring, MD) obtained here: Snowfall - Average Total In Inches.

Average snowfall per annum in inches

Northeast
Local:
Washington D.C. (DCA)- 16.6
Washington D.C. (IAD)- 22.3
Baltimore/Washington (BWI)- 20.8

Philadelphia- 20.5
Pittsburgh- 43.0
Newark- 27.6
New York (JFK)- 22.7
New York (LGA)- 26.0
Providence- 35.5
Boston- 42.2
Portland, ME- 70.4

South
Richmond, VA- 13.8
Memphis, TN- 5.1
Charlotte, NC- 5.5
Atlanta, GA- 2.1
New Orleans, LA- 0.2
Orlando, FL- None

Midwest
Denver, Co- 60.3
Detroit, MI- 41.1
Chicago, IL- 38.5
Indianapolis- 23.6

Elevation and proximity to large bodies of water are major determiningfactors of snowfall, as can be seen in Pittsburgh having twice the snowfall of Philly. Snowfall along the Mid-Atlantic portion of the NE coastal corridor between DC and NYC have very similar snowfall patterns. Bittinger in Garret County, MD and Frostburg in Alleghany County, MD gets 104 and 89.50 inches respectively (the highest in MD) while Salisbury located close to the sea on the ES in Worcester County only gets a paltry 8.2 inches.(These are median snowfall data from the University of Maryland: Annual snowfall totals for various Maryland stations)"

Regarding snowstorms we only get 1 or 2 (counting multiple consecutive days of snowfall as one) serious ones a season. This year La Plata and a large portion of Southern MD got like 14 inches in one storm in Feb or March. However, as someone said before it doesn't stick for long. Especially this year, everytime we had snowfall the next day would either be warm or the sun would be out all day and the snow would be nearly completely gone in a day or two. In past winters, I've noticed it snow to stay for days or weeks. Probably global warming, but could also be coincidence.

[yasmine4]

Wow! I can see my friends have a whole lot to say. Thanks every one, you are all a wealth of information. I've lived in East TN for a few yrs. and the winters did get pretty cold, however the snow never stuck more than a day or two. Which state is colder during winter time? I know some one put up the stats which included Memphis,TN but that's the western side of the state. I didn't know what their weather was like as I lived near Knoxville,TN.
I'm hoping I can provide my hubby with some reassuring facts that it won't be much colder than what we experienced in TN. Or maybe I can just lie....and hope for the best, lol .

Thanks so much every one for your input.

[filmsniffer]

Tenn. would be a smidge warmer, but your husband probably wouldn't notice.

[glorybeecosta]

Here on the eastern shore we do not get bad snow storms, that is one reason I came here. Cumberland MD was rough

[ErickC]

I have been researching moving for a while now from upstate NY. As far as weather goes, one thing I like to do is use detailed climate research data to compare places, some of the data I use is from the government, the NCDC part of the National Weather Service. Secondly I just look at forecasts as the months go by to see what the weather is like there. Recently I have added a third item with regard to looking at how much snow certain places get.
Looking at Maryland, I turn on the Webcam option on Google Maps and look up Cumberland lets say. When I zoom out I see a cam in Frostburg and Deep Creek. Also I have been using the Maryland Dept. of Transportation CHART site. On it they have cameras all over the state on the highways. Around Cumberland there is one in Savage Mountain in Frostburg, Cumberland in the 40 MPH zone of I-68, looks like the exit for Ridgeley to me , Street Rd and I-68. As you go East there are more and more cameras as you move into the more populated areas of Maryland.
Viewing the webcams/still cams gives a good feel for how much certain areas get more or less snow and how long it sticks around. The Maryland DOT cams are good because they are actually pointed at the road and let you see just how the road conditions get during a storm.
I am looking for a place with less snow than here, but I don't mind some of it. That's some of what I am looking for in a new place.