Press Releases - Department of Transportation
Montgomery County Officials Announce Updates to County Services in Advance of Predicted Snow Today, Sunday, Jan. 19
For Immediate Release: Sunday, January 19, 2025
An “Extreme Cold Alert” is in place until 5 p.m. today, Sunday, Jan. 19. A Winter Storm Warning for four to six inches of snow is in effect for Northern Montgomery County until 7 p.m. this evening. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for Southern Montgomery County, where two to four inches of snow are expected.
Montgomery County Officials Announce Updates to County Services in Advance of Predicted Snow Today, Sunday, Jan. 19.
An “Extreme Cold Alert” is in place until 5 p.m. today, Sunday, Jan. 19. A Winter Storm Warning for four to six inches of snow is in effect for Northern Montgomery County until 7 p.m. this evening. A Winter Weather Advisory is in effect for Southern Montgomery County, where two to four inches of snow are expected.
Cancellations and Service Changes
Today’s Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration at the Music Center at Strathmore has been postponed to Monday, Jan. 20 at 4 p.m.
Montgomery County Public Schools has canceled all school-sponsored activities and community use of buildings for today, Sunday, Jan. 19.
- All scheduled programs, classes and activities at Montgomery County Recreation Centers are canceled.
- Recreation, senior and aquatic centers will open for drop-in activities only.
- Centers will open for their regular Sunday operating hours.
Storm Operations
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) has activated the Storm Operations Center (SOC) as of 8 a.m. and crews will be monitoring roadway conditions and responding as necessary. Cold temperatures will cause any snow to freeze overnight.
Extremely cold temperatures will continue throughout the week. Roads, especially bridges and overpasses, will likely become slick and hazardous. MCDOT urges residents to stay off roadways once snowfall begins. Those who must travel should reduce speed, carry a flashlight, food, and water in their vehicle, and dress warmly in case of an emergency.
MCDOT’s Ride On bus service will be operating on the regular Sunday schedule today, Jan 19. Snow-related detours and delays are likely. U.S. 29 Flash BRT (Colesville Road/Old Columbia Pike) will use 40-foot buses in place of Flash-branded articulated buses. For more information about service delays or detours, visit RideOnBus.com.
What to Expect
MCDOT is responsible for clearing 5,300 lane miles of County roads, including 1,608 emergency primary routes and 3,700 residential roads. Emergency primary routes are cleared first to ensure emergency vehicles can respond. Once the snow stops and emergency roads are clear, plows begin clearing residential streets. Throughout the storm, plows may begin plowing residential streets and then be called back to retreat to emergency primary roads. Roads marked with numbered routes are State Highway Roads and maintained by the State.
It is important for residents to understand that plowing is intended to make streets passable, not to clear them to bare pavement.
Residents are likely to see snowplows driving through neighborhoods with plows raised; this is due to snowpack from freezing temperatures. The plows are able to push off any fresh snow once it accumulates to about three inches and in areas that have been broken up by salt application. However, plows are not able to sufficiently push off solid ice, especially in the evening and late-night hours when temperatures are at their lowest points. When MCDOT snowplow crews encounter this situation, they raise the plow and apply salt, let it activate, and then go back through and push it off. This often takes several attempts.
Where to Get Updates
Visit the County’s Snow Information Portal to find snow-related information, such as who is responsible for clearing a roadway, track plow progress in their area and report a missed street. Before making clearing requests, residents are asked to wait until snow operations are announced as complete at the top of the snow information portal page.
Residents can also sign up for Alert Montgomery, the County's emergency alert system. Alert Montgomery sends messages by email and/or cell phone via text message.
Utilities
Icing could also mean downed wires and power outages. The power utilities serving Montgomery County include Pepco, BG&E and First Energy. All have downloadable mobile apps for reporting power outages. Or call:
- Baltimore Gas and Electric: 877-778-2222
- Potomac Edison/First Energy: 1-888-544-4877
- PEPCO: 1-877-737-2662
In case of water main breaks or leaks, contact the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission (WSSC) at 301-206-4002, by email to [email protected] or by using the WSSC Water Mobile App.
What Residents Can Do
During a period of extremely cold temperatures and snowy conditions, it is important to check on neighbors, especially older adults and those living alone. Staff from the Department of Health and Human Services and community-based partners are reaching out to unhoused individuals and urging them to seek shelter. There are emergency shelters open. Residents concerned about the well-being of someone who is unhoused can call the 24-hour Homeless Information Line at 240-907-2688. Outreach partners will attempt to locate the individual and urge them to come indoors to a shelter. If someone is seeking shelter, call the Crisis Center at 240-777-4000.
Animals should not be left outside unattended. The Animal Services team is enforcing Executive Regulation 17-17, Anti-Cruelty Conditions for Dogs and Other Pets. If you see an animal left outside that appears to be in danger, call 301-279-8000.
County residents are required to clear sidewalks alongside their properties within 24 hours of the end of a snowstorm. The path must be wide enough to accommodate pedestrians and wheelchairs. The County encourages everyone to help seniors or others who may not be physically able to shovel. When shoveling, please keep snow clear from fire hydrants and make a point to shovel hydrants out with a three-foot diameter around the hydrant. Find more information at montgomerycountymd.gov/safesidewalks.
For the latest snow-related updates, visit MCDOT’s Snow Information Portal and follow @MCDOTNow on X, Bluesky, Facebook, and Instagram and subscribe to MCDOT’s “Go Montgomery!” newsletter.
# # #
Media Contact: Mary Anderson, 301-529-7669, Emily DeTitta, 240-372-2282
