Maryland, 2009

Winter Storm and Winter Weather in Maryland, January 27 to 28, 2009

January 27 to 28, 2009 · NWS LWX · 15 events in 15 counties and zones

An area of low pressure tracked through the Tennessee Valley into the Ohio Valley on the 27th spreading precipitation across Maryland. Precipitation began as snow, but a change over to sleet, and eventually freezing rain occurred from south to north during the afternoon and evening of the 27th.

Where it happened

Every event with a place to put it; 12 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
15

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 LWX wrote it up.

An area of low pressure tracked through the Tennessee Valley into the Ohio Valley on the 27th spreading precipitation across Maryland. Precipitation began as snow, but a change over to sleet, and eventually freezing rain occurred from south to north during the afternoon and evening of the 27th. Freezing rain finally changed to rain from south to north during the morning and afternoon hours of the 28th. Rain ended during the early evening hours of the 28th.

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 Baltimore/Washington wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Jan 26, 9:25 PM EST, 6 hours 35 minutes earlier.

Area forecast discussion, Jan 26, 9:25 PM EST, 6 hours 35 minutes before
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Hazardous weather outlook, Jan 26, 10:27 PM EST, 5 hours 33 minutes before
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON DC
1027 PM EST MON JAN 26 2009

ANZ530>537-DCZ001-MDZ006-007-011-013-014-016>018-VAZ052>057-
271000-
CHESAPEAKE BAY NORTH OF POOLES ISLAND MD-
CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM POOLES ISLAND TO SANDY POINT MD-
CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM SANDY POINT TO NORTH BEACH MD-
CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM NORTH BEACH TO DRUM POINT MD-
CHESAPEAKE BAY FROM DRUM POINT MD TO SMITH POINT VA-
TIDAL POTOMAC FROM KEY BRIDGE TO INDIAN HEAD MD-
TIDAL POTOMAC FROM INDIAN HEAD TO COBB ISLAND MD-
TIDAL POTOMAC FROM COBB ISLAND MD TO SMITH POINT VA-
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA-NORTHERN BALTIMORE-HARFORD-
SOUTHERN BALTIMORE-PRINCE GEORGES-ANNE ARUNDEL-CHARLES-ST. MARYS-
CALVERT-PRINCE WILLIAM/MANASSAS/MANASSAS PARK-FAIRFAX-
ARLINGTON/FALLS CHURCH/ALEXANDRIA-STAFFORD-SPOTSYLVANIA-
KING GEORGE-
1027 PM EST MON JAN 26 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR THE MARYLAND PORTION OF THE
CHESAPEAKE BAY...TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER...AND ADJACENT COUNTIES IN
CENTRAL MARYLAND AND NORTHERN VIRGINIA AS WELL AS THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

NO HAZARDOUS WEATHER IS EXPECTED AT THIS TIME.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 6 PM TUESDAY
FOR ALL COUNTIES EXCEPT CALVERT AND ST. MARYS. LIGHT SNOW IS
EXPECTED TUESDAY MORNING AND AFTERNOON ACROSS THE WASHINGTON AND
BALTIMORE METROPOLITAN AREAS. SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES
ARE POSSIBLE.

A SECOND ROUND OF WINTRY PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TUESDAY NIGHT
AND WEDNESDAY MORNING. A WINTER STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM
TUESDAY THROUGH 6 PM WEDNESDAY FOR THE AREA WITH THE EXCEPTION OF
LOWER SOUTHERN MARYLAND...AND SPOTSYLVANIA STAFFORD AND KING
CHARLES COUNTIES. PLEASE REFER WBCWSWLWX /WWSU41/ TO FURTHER
DETAILS.

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY CONDITIONS ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY AND WEDNESDAY
NIGHT FOR THE MARYLAND CHESAPEAKE BAY AND TIDAL POTOMAC RIVER.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED THROUGH TONIGHT.

MDZ003>005-009-010-501-502-VAZ021-025>031-036>042-050-051-
WVZ050>055-501>504-271000-
WASHINGTON-FREDERICK MD-CARROLL-MONTGOMERY-HOWARD-
EXTREME WESTERN ALLEGANY-CENTRAL AND EASTERN ALLEGANY-HIGHLAND-
AUGUSTA-ROCKINGHAM-SHENANDOAH-FREDERICK VA-PAGE-WARREN-CLARKE-
NELSON-ALBEMARLE-GREENE-MADISON-RAPPAHANNOCK-FAUQUIER-LOUDOUN-
ORANGE-CULPEPER-HAMPSHIRE-MORGAN-BERKELEY-JEFFERSON-PENDLETON-
HARDY-WESTERN GRANT-EASTERN GRANT-WESTERN MINERAL-EASTERN MINERAL-
1027 PM EST MON JAN 26 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EASTERN WEST VIRGINIA...
NORTHERN AND CENTRAL VIRGINIA...AND CENTRAL AND WESTERN MARYLAND
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF GARRETT COUNTY.

.DAY ONE...TONIGHT

LIGHT SNOW IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN TO DEVELOP ACROSS WESTERN MARYLAND
AND THE EASTERN WEST VIRGINIA PANHANDLE OVERNIGHT.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY

A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 6 PM TUESDAY.
SNOW ACCUMULATIONS OF 1 TO 3 INCHES ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE
OUTLOOK AREA.

A SECOND ROUND OF WINTRY PRECIPITATION IS EXPECTED TUESDAY NIGHT
AND WEDNESDAY. A WINTER STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM
TUESDAY THROUGH 6 PM WEDNESDAY. PLEASE REFER WBCWSWLWX /WWSU41/ TO
FURTHER DETAILS.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION WILL NOT BE NEEDED THROUGH TONIGHT.

The radar

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

Open the radar archive at this moment

Event by event

13 winter storm, 2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.

Winter Storm, Extreme Western Allegany

When
January 27, 4:00 AM EST to January 28, 1:00 PM EST
Where
Extreme Western Allegany forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
39.622, -78.699 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice accumulation around one quarter of an inch was reported across western Allegany County. Snow and sleet accumulation of 3.0 inches was reported in Eckhart Mines.

Winter Storm, Central and Eastern Allegany

When
January 27, 4:00 AM EST to January 28, 1:00 PM EST
Where
Central and Eastern Allegany forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
39.622, -78.699 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice accumulation around one quarter of an inch was reported across western Allegany County. Snow and sleet accumulation was estimated around 3.0 inches across the central and eastern parts of the county.

Winter Storm, Washington

When
January 27, 4:00 AM EST to January 28, 1:00 PM EST
Where
Washington forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
39.604, -77.814 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Reports of ice accumulation at least a quarter of an inch were received across the county. Snow and sleet accumulation was estimated at 2 to 3 inches across the county.

Winter Storm, Frederick

When
January 27, 4:00 AM EST to January 28, 1:00 PM EST
Where
Frederick forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
39.472, -77.398 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice accumulation of 0.38 of an inch was reported in Point of Rocks. |Snow and sleet accumulation of 2.3 inches was also reported in Thurmont.

Winter Storm, Carroll

When
January 27, 4:00 AM EST to January 28, 1:00 PM EST
Where
Carroll forecast zone
Reported by
Unknown
Coordinates
39.563, -77.022 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice accumulation of one quarter inch was estimated throughout the county. |Snow and sleet accumulations were estimated around 2 to 3 inches across the county.

Winter Storm, Northern Baltimore

When
January 27, 4:00 AM EST to January 28, 1:00 PM EST
Where
Northern Baltimore forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
39.443, -76.616 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice accumulation of one quarter inch was reported in Kingsville. |Snow and sleet accumulation of 2 to 3 inches was reported across the county.

Winter Storm, Southern Baltimore

When
January 27, 4:00 AM EST to January 28, 1:00 PM EST
Where
Southern Baltimore forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
39.367, -76.614 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice accumulation of one quarter inch was reported in Towson. Snow and sleet accumulation of 2 to 3 inches was also reported across southern Baltimore County.

Winter Storm, Harford

When
January 27, 4:00 AM EST to January 28, 1:00 PM EST
Where
Harford forecast zone
Reported by
Unknown

Ice accumulation of at least a quarter of an inch was estimated throughout the county. Snow and sleet accumulation was estimated at 2 to 3 inches across the county.

Winter Storm, Howard

When
January 27, 4:00 AM EST to January 28, 1:00 PM EST
Where
Howard forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

Ice accumulation of four tenths of an inch was reported in Ellicott City. Snow and sleet accumulation was estimated at 2 to 3 inches across the county.

Winter Storm, Montgomery

When
January 27, 4:00 AM EST to January 28, 1:00 PM EST
Where
Montgomery forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter

Ice accumulation around one quarter of an inch was reported throughout the county. Snow and sleet accumulation was estimated at 2 to 3 inches across the county.

Winter Storm, Prince Georges

When
January 27, 5:00 AM EST to January 28, 1:00 PM EST
Where
Prince Georges forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
38.830, -76.847 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice accumulation around one quarter of an inch was reported throughout the county. Snow and sleet accumulation around 2 to 3 inches was reported throughout the county as well.

Winter Storm, Anne Arundel

When
January 27, 5:00 AM EST to January 28, 1:00 PM EST
Where
Anne Arundel forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
38.994, -76.568 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm conditions were reported throughout the county.

Winter Storm, Calvert

When
January 27, 5:00 AM EST to January 28, 12:00 PM EST
Where
Calvert forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
38.535, -76.531 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Winter Storm conditions were reported throughout the county.

Winter Weather, Charles

When
January 27, 8:00 AM EST to January 28, 10:00 AM EST
Where
Charles forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
38.474, -77.013 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice accumulation around one tenth of an inch was reported across the county. Snow and sleet accumulation around 2 inches was reported throughout the county.

Winter Weather, St. Mary'S

When
January 27, 8:00 AM EST to January 28, 8:00 AM EST
Where
St. Mary'S forecast zone
Reported by
Trained Spotter
Coordinates
38.216, -76.529 (the zone’s center; the record gives no point)

Ice accumulation around one tenth of an inch was reported across the county. Snow and sleet accumulation around 2 inches was reported throughout the county.

What these are

Winter Storm
A storm that brought snow, sleet or freezing rain at warning levels, usually over several hours or days.
Winter Weather
Snow, sleet or freezing rain below warning levels that still caused disruption, damage or casualties.

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

The same day elsewhere

More

Every storm in Maryland in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyWarnings in Maryland, January 2009

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 2026-09-30. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 147723, 147724, 147725, 147727, 147729, 147731, 147733, 147734, 147735, 147736, 147737, 147743, 147744, 147741, 147742.