More snow possible late Saturday and into Sunday morning

(Feb. 5, 2021) There could be rain – or there could be snow – over the weekend, but officials are urging local people to prepare for cold, wet weather and to keep an eye on the forecast.  

The National Weather Service on Friday issued a briefing that, as a low-pressure system moves off the coast, there is the potential for heavy snow for parts of the region. However, there is still a great deal of uncertainty about what will happen.  

“This is another tricky system, with cold air coming in from the north and moisture from the south. Temperatures are not really cold this time, which helps some, but snow accumulation is still expected,” Jeff Orrock, meteorologist in charge at the National Weather Service in Wakefield, Virginia, said. 

Orrock said people in Ocean Pines should expect light rain around 10 p.m. on Saturday, with that quickly changing to snow around midnight. He said snowfall is likely from midnight to 6 a.m. on Sunday morning.  

That could change into rain again just after daybreak on Sunday morning, he added.  

“Worst case looks like 2-3 inches of snow overnight, with amounts decreasing after daybreak … with rain and warming temps,” Orrock said. “I would tell people to be prepared for some snow when they wake up Sunday, and slippery roads with conditions likely improving later in the day.” 

Ocean Pines Public Works Director Eddie Wells said his department is ready to deal whatever the weather system produces.   

“We are ready for snow if it comes this far south, but it looks like we will be mostly rain,” he said. “It shouldn’t be too bad on the roads if the temperatures stay above freezing. Sunday night could have some icy spots if the roads stay wet throughout Sunday. If that happens, we will be salting.” 

Ocean Pines General Manager John Viola said the Association will continue to watch the weather, and he urged residents to do the same.  

“As always, Ocean Pines advises homeowners to monitor trusted sources, like the National Weather Service, for the latest news and information about this and future weather events,” he said. “We will continue to share that information on oceanpines.org and on Ocean Pines social media.”