Big snow coming?

Forecaster: Storm could be 'one to remember'

January 20, 2005|by BRIAN SHAPPELL

The light snow that fell in the Hagerstown area Wednesday might not be the last taste of wintery weather this week.

Forecasters say more snow is expected to fall Saturday. How much depends on who you talk to.

Hagerstown received its largest measured snowfall of the season Wednesday, just 0.7 of an inch, according to Hagerstown weather observer Greg Keefer. Between Sunday and Monday, a total of 0.3 of an inch was measured, according to Keefer.

On Wednesday evening, AccuWeather and the National Weather Service both said more snow was in the forecast for Saturday.

National Weather Service meteorologist Howard Silverman, based in Sterling, Va., said the storm was "still in the making." Silverman said the weather service's forecasters have set the likelihood of snow at 60 percent and have not released a predicted inch count.

"It's too far out to seriously entertain any numbers," he said.

But Mike Sager, a meteorologist with AccuWeather.com, based in State College, Pa., said between 6 and 12 inches of snow was likely. Sager said there was "a distinct possibility" that more than a foot of snow could fall in southern Pennsylvania and northwestern Maryland.

"This weekend is looking like it could be one to remember," Sager said. "If people like snow, and for skiers, it could be in a good way. For people looking to go to (Philadelphia) or Pittsburgh for the (N.F.L.) playoff games, it could be in a bad way."

Wednesday's snowfall stirred up mixed emotions among visitors to downtown Hagerstown.

Allen Weller, 57, of Martinsburg, W.Va., said he did not like the snow and comforted himself by remaining "optimistic that it's gonna be a pretty mild winter."

Linda Spence, 45, of Greencastle, Pa., held a different opinion about the wintery weather.

"It's great. I hope we get a lot," she said. "It's good for skiing."

Terry Drankiewiecz, 38, of Keedysville, said the weather was long overdue.

"I think its wonderful," Drankiewiecz said. "It's about time we got some."

Staff writer Hans Fogle contributed to this story.

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