Montgomery County Winter Storm Update

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, February 20, 2019

The National Weather Service’s Winter Storm Warning for Montgomery County will be in effect through 7 p.m. today. The warning calls for heavy mixed precipitation with total snow accumulations of 4 to 6 inches and ice accumulations of up to one tenth of an inch.  

Travel disruptions within the County and region are likely as roads quickly become snow covered and icy. If you must travel, allow extra time to reach your destination. Please remain alert for ongoing plow/salt operations. Due to the predicted weather conditions, Montgomery County community members are encouraged to prepare for power outages.

Community members are urged to subscribe to Alert Montgomery for the latest information. Alerts can be sent to one or more electronic devices, including cell phones, text pagers, wireless PDAs, and home and work emails. 

Where to find County Snow Information

• Headline emergency information will be posted on the homepage of the Montgomery County website.
• For winter weather tips, information about who plows your street and more, visit the County’s Winter Storm Information Portal.
• More information is provided through the County’s Twitter feed and Facebook page.

Ride On:

Ride On is operating on a normal schedule today, but expect delays and some detours due to inclement weather.

Parking: 

Parking in Montgomery County garages, lots and curbside meters is free today. Automobile owners are urged to help clear the way for snow plow operators by parking vehicles in driveways or off the street whenever possible. When parking on-street, pull close to the curb on the even numbered side of the street.

Power Outages:

Treat all “dark” intersections as four-way stops. Stop - then proceed cautiously.

In case of a power outage, know these numbers for utilities:

• PEPCO: 1-877-737-2662: 
• BG&E: 1-877-778-2222;
• Potomac Edison/First Energy: 1-888-544-4877;
• Washington Gas: 703-750-1000 (Smell strong odor of gas, leave site and call 9-1-1) and
• WSSC-Emergencies: 301-206-4002.

During a power outage, relying on battery-operated lights, rather than candles, is safer. Using candles increases the risk of a fire. 

Refrigerated food will remain unspoiled only about four hours if the refrigerator is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for about 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed. Use ice to keep your refrigerator at 40°F or below and the freezer at 0° or lower if there is a prolonged power outage. 

It can be fatal to use gas or charcoal grills, propane heaters and stoves, kerosene space heaters or generators indoors. These items are a source of carbon monoxide, which can build up indoors and cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Please see Montgomery County Fire and Rescue for more information.

Snow Treatment and Removal: 

State-maintained roads, which are the numbered roads in the County, are cleared by the Maryland State Highway Administration. Snow clearance of County roads begins with pre-treating major County roads with salt brine, a solution of salt and water, before snow begins falling unless there is rain to wash the solution away. Plowing of County roads begins when three or more inches of snow accumulates on the roads. The County’s Department of Transportation clears emergency and primary routes before it begins clearing neighborhood streets. Neighborhood streets are not cleared to bare pavement but are made passable. Residents are asked to remain patient. There are approximately 1,000 lane miles of primary (arterial roads connecting subdivisions or business districts) and secondary roads (main collector streets through subdivisions) which are continuously treated with salt and sand and kept in “bare pavement” condition. Once the snow stops falling and major roads are clear, crews turn their attention to making streets passable for the more than 4,100 lane miles of neighborhood streets. 

Snow Emergency Routes: 

Both the State of Maryland and Montgomery County have designated certain roads as SNOW EMERGENCY ROUTES. When the State and/or County initiates its snow emergency plan, it is illegal to park on these designated roads or drive without snow tires, all-weather tires, mud/snow radials or chains. Vehicles without the proper type of tire (all-weather) or chains that block snow emergency routes during an emergency may be ticketed and towed at the owner’s expense. 

Snow Shovel Law: 

County residents are required by law to clear sidewalks in front of and alongside their properties within 24 hours of the end of a snowstorm. Everyone is encouraged to help seniors or others who may not be physically able to shovel. Remember not to shovel snow over fire hydrants and make a point to shovel hydrants out with a three-foot diameter around the hydrant. 

Snow Removal in Parking Lots: 

Parking lot managers are reminded not to block disability parking spaces and their adjacent striped areas when removing snow from commercial or residential parking lots.

Release ID: 19-029
Media Contact: Judy Stiles 240-777-6536