Winter Storm in Maryland, December 5 to 6, 2005

Name: Winter Storm in Maryland, December 5 to 6, 2005
Start: 2005-12-05T12:00
End: 2005-12-06T05:00
Location: Maryland

December 5 to 6, 2005 · NWS AKQ · 3 events in 3 counties and zones

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 3 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.

Tornadoes
Tropical storms and surge
Floods
Wind
Hail
Winter weather
Heat and drought
Cold
Fire, smoke and dust
Marine and coastal
Other

Open the live radar over this ground

The toll

Deaths: 0
Injuries: 0
Property damage: None recorded
Crop damage: None recorded
Events: 3

Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.

What happened

The episode as NWS AKQ wrote it up.

A winter storm produced three to as much as six inches of snow and sleet across portions of the Lower Maryland Eastern Shore. The snow caused hazardous driving conditions, which resulted in numerous accidents. The highest amounts were reported in Dorchester county 4-6", while Somerset county reported 3-5", and Wicomico county 3-4".

What forecasters said that day

The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.

NWS Wakefield, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 5, 11:20 AM EST, 40 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Dec 5, 11:20 AM EST, 40 minutes before

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Hazardous weather outlook, Dec 5, 5:30 AM EST, 6 hours 30 minutes before

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
530 AM EST MON DEC 5 2005

NCZ015>017-030>032-102-VAZ095-097-098-100-061030-
PASQUOTANK-CAMDEN-INLAND CURRITUCK-BERTIE-CHOWAN-PERQUIMANS-
OUTER BANKS CURRITUCK-NORFOLK/PORTSMOUTH-CHESAPEAKE-
VIRGINIA BEACH-NORTHAMPTON VA-
530 AM EST MON DEC 5 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST NORTH
CAROLINA AND SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS WITH SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE NEEDED.

MDZ021-VAZ048-049-061>064-069-074>077-061030-
DORCHESTER-FLUVANNA-LOUISA-CUMBERLAND-GOOCHLAND-HANOVER-CAROLINE-
POWHATAN-ESSEX-WESTMORELAND-RICHMOND-NORTHUMBERLAND-
530 AM EST MON DEC 5 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST
MARYLAND...CENTRAL VIRGINIA...EAST CENTRAL VIRGINIA...NORTH
CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A WINTER STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT TODAY AND TONIGHT FOR 4 TO 7
INCHES OF SNOW.  SEE WSWAKQ FOR MORE DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

THERE IS A CHANCE OF SNOW THURSDAY NIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY AS A
STORM MAY ORGANIZE OFF THE CAROLINAS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS WITH SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE NEEDED.

MDZ022>025-VAZ060-067-068-070>073-078-083-085-099-061030-
WICOMICO-SOMERSET-INLAND WORCESTER-MARYLAND BEACHES-PRINCE EDWARD-
NOTTOWAY-AMELIA-CHESTERFIELD-HENRICO-KING WILLIAM-KING AND QUEEN-
LANCASTER-NEW KENT-MIDDLESEX-ACCOMACK-
530 AM EST MON DEC 5 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHEAST
MARYLAND...CENTRAL VIRGINIA...EAST CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH
CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FOR TODAY AND TONIGHT FOR 1
TO 4 INCHES OF SNOW.  SEE WSWAKQ FOR MORE DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

THERE IS A CHANCE OF SNOW THURSDAY NIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY AS A
STORM MAY ORGANIZE OFF THE CAROLINAS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS WITH SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE NEEDED.

ANZ630>633-650-652-654-656-658-061030-
CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM SMITH POINT TO WINDMILL POINT VA-
CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM WINDMILL POINT TO NEW POINT COMFORT VA-
CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM NEW POINT COMFORT TO CAPE HENRY VA-
CURRITUCK SOUND-
COASTAL WATERS FROM FENWICK ISLAND DE TO CHINCOTEAGUE VA OUT
20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM CHINCOTEAGUE TO PARRAMORE ISLAND VA OUT 20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM PARRAMORE ISLAND TO CAPE CHARLES LIGHT VA OUT
20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE CHARLES LIGHT VA TO NC VA BORDER OUT
20 NM-
COASTAL WATERS FROM NC VA BORDER TO CURRITUCK BEACH LIGHT NC OUT
20 NM-
530 AM EST MON DEC 5 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF AN.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT TODAY AND TONIGHT. SEE CWFAKQ
FOR MORE DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS WITH SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE NEEDED.

NCZ012>014-VAZ065-066-079>082-084-086>094-096-061030-
NORTHAMPTON NC-HERTFORD-GATES-MECKLENBURG-LUNENBURG-BRUNSWICK-
DINWIDDIE-PRINCE GEORGE-CHARLES CITY-GLOUCESTER-MATHEWS-
GREENSVILLE-SUSSEX-SURRY-JAMES CITY-YORK-SOUTHAMPTON-
ISLE OF WIGHT-NEWPORT NEWS/HAMPTON-SUFFOLK-
530 AM EST MON DEC 5 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST NORTH
CAROLINA...EAST CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND
SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

A MIX OF PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED BY THIS AFTERNOON...CHANGING TO
SNOW AND SLEET LATE THIS AFTERNOON...ENDING AS SNOW SHOWERS
TONIGHT. UP TO AN INCH OF SNOW IS POSSIBLE LOCALLY. SEE SPSAKQ FOR
MORE DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

THERE IS A CHANCE OF SNOW OR RAIN THURSDAY NIGHT AND EARLY FRIDAY
AS A STORM MAY ORGANIZE OFF THE CAROLINAS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTERS WITH SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE NEEDED.

07

The radar

The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

3 winter storm. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Dorchester

When: December 5, 12:00 PM EST to December 6, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Dorchester forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 38.423, -76.083 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Somerset

When: December 5, 12:00 PM EST to December 6, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Somerset forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 38.080, -75.853 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm, Wicomico

When: December 5, 12:00 PM EST to December 6, 5:00 AM EST
Where: Wicomico forecast zone
Reported by: EMERGENCY MANAGER
Coordinates: 38.369, -75.631 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

What these are

Winter Storm: A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.

After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.

The same day elsewhere

Every storm in Maryland in 2005 Every state in 2005 This day in weather history Warnings in Maryland, December 2005

Sources

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 5488971, 5488972, 5488973.