March 2 Winds Ease While Fire Risk Remains Elevated Then Severe Storm Focus For Wednesday

March 2, 2025

Sunday Morning Report

The wind has been brutal!  Yesterday a peak gust of 52 mph was recorded at Baltimore’s BWI Airport as the high temperature of 66F was reached early, then the bitter cold arrived.

This morning, we begin with most areas in the teens and 20s.

Fire Risk Remains Elevated today! Numerous brush fires and some forest fires were reported yesterday. I brought our drought back into the conversation, as we have severe drought conditions officially in place. Baltimore is more than 2 inches UNDER normal precipitation this year, in addition to the 8-inch hole from last year. We need more than 10 inches of precipitation (above our normal rainfall) to get water levels back to normal!

Severe Storm Outbreak! NOAA has identified the potential for a large tornado outbreak in the Deep South on Tuesday. The remaining energy will weaken but still be enough to provide us here on the East Coast with a chance for severe weather along with needed rain on Wednesday.

ELEVATED FIRE RISK

Message From The National Weather Service:

ELEVATED FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS THROUGH THROUGH THIS

AFTERNOON…

• Elevated fire weather conditions are possible through mid this afternoon for areas along and north of Highway 50.
• Low humidity and gusty northwest winds will bring a greater risk of adverse fire behavior and rapid fire spread, mostly from late

this morning through mid afternoon. Relative humidity values will drop 20 to 25 percent, with west to northwest winds of 10 to 15 mph, gusting to 20 to 25 mph.

• Elevated fire weather conditions are possible through mid this afternoon for areas along and north of Highway 50.
• Please refer to your local burn permitting authorities on whether you may burn outdoors on Saturday. If you do burn, use extreme caution since fires can increasingly escalate under these conditions.

DROUGHT UPDATE

Rainfall Deficit at BWI

• Ending 2024 =  -8.00”
• Since Jan 1 =  -2.20”
• We are DOWN -10.20” including last year

CLIMATE DATA: Baltimore

TODAY March 2

Sunrise at 6:37 AM

Sunset at 6:01 PM

Normal Low in Baltimore:  30ºF

Record 13ºF in 1962; 1980

Normal High in Baltimore: 50ºF

Record 80ºF 1972

Baltimore Seasonal Snow

12.7”

March Madness: History of Extreme Weather and Late Season Snow

Click here for the full report:

Morning Surface Weather

As High Pressure builds in, we will have a breeze this morning that will finally calm down by evening.

Local Morning Temperatures

Wind Forecast: 7 AM to  7 PM

Stronger winds this morning to mid-day, then calm by evening.

Mid Day Winds

Gusts to 20 mph or so, then calming during the afternoon.

High Temperatures

MONDAY WEATHER

Morning Temperatures

Afternoon Temperatures

SEVERE STORM OUTBREAK

NOAA: Tuesday Afternoon

The Enhanced Risk, which is two days away, signals that this will be a large outbreak of potential tornadoes and large hail.

Tuesday Afternoon Forecast Map

Storm Forecast Tuesday To Thursday

Snapshot Wednesday March 5

Watching for heavy rain and a line of strong to severe storms mid-afternoon and evening.

NOAA Wednesday Afternoon

As often is the case, that line of storms will lose some energy when reaching the East Coast.. but this 15% chance now, including Central Maryland, is high for 3 days away!

Snapshot Thursday March 6

With the front off the coast, the colder air will develop Lake Enhanced Snow Squalls that will reach the high mountains of Western Maryland.

Jet Stream Wednesday, March 5

The clash of air masses will ignite the severe storm outbreak.

Jet Stream Forecast: Wednesday March 5 to  Sunday March 9

The surge of cold air will be followed by a winter-looking pattern.

Snapshot Sunday

7 Day Forecast

Warming ahead of a storm outbreak next week.

Then cooling but no extreme cold to follow.

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SNOW REPORTS THIS SEASON

Click on the maps for that full report.

Just A Bit Outside Feb 19

Brief Recap Of The Record Snow For Virginia and the abrupt change from the longer range potential track.

February 11 Snow Report And Grade My Forecast

click here or the map for more

January 19 Snow Report

January 11 Snow Report

January 6 Snow Report

Previous Snow

November 22 Snow Report

ALSO SEE

Recent Snow Reports

La Nina Advisory January 2025

Full Report

MY WINTER OUTLOOK

My Winter Outlook Report

FITF Gear on Sale

In Case You Missed This

The Faith In The Flakes Dec 5 Origin Story

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Severe Weather: Storm Smart October and next spring Winter Weather FITF (Faith in the Flakes): November To March Click to see more and send a request for your school.

THANK YOU:

Baltimore Magazine Readers Choice Best Of Baltimore

Maryland Trek 11 Day 7 Completed Sat August 10

We raised OVER $104,000 for Just In Power Kids – AND Still Collecting More

The annual event: Hiking and biking 329 miles in 7 days between The Summit of Wisp to Ocean City.

Each day, we honor a kid and their family’s cancer journey.

Fundraising is for Just In Power Kids: Funding Free Holistic Programs. I never have and never will take a penny. It is all for our nonprofit to operate.

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RESTATING MY MESSAGE ABOUT DYSLEXIA

I am aware there are some spelling and grammar typos and occasional other glitches. I take responsibility for my mistakes and even the computer glitches I may miss. I have made a few public statements over the years, but if you are new here, you may have missed it: I have dyslexia and found out during my second year at Cornell University. It didn’t stop me from getting my meteorology degree and being the first to get the AMS CBM in the Baltimore/Washington region. One of my professors told me that I had made it that far without knowing and to not let it be a crutch going forward. That was Mark Wysocki, and he was absolutely correct! I do miss my mistakes in my own proofreading. The autocorrect spell check on my computer sometimes does an injustice to make it worse. I also can make mistakes in forecasting. No one is perfect at predicting the future. All of the maps and information are accurate. The ‘wordy’ stuff can get sticky.  There has been no editor who can check my work while writing and to have it ready to send out in a newsworthy timeline. Barbara Werner is a member of the web team that helps me maintain this site. She has taken it upon herself to edit typos when she is available. That could be AFTER you read this. I accept this and perhaps proves what you read is really from me… It’s part of my charm. #FITF