A Bit Of Ice In The Wedge Zones

12/26/25 8:20am

A classic overrunning setup pushing in to the area today. A cold, dry , high pressure well off to the north, is the low level dry, cold air source. Low pressure off to the west, the moisture and mild air source.

The combo of the cold dry high north, milder southerly moist flow ahead of the low pressure will allow for moisture to fall to the surface as rain and in the colder wedge zones, the surface will remain below freezing today and that will allow for some freezing rain to occur.

The Weather Service is out with Winter Weather Advisories and Ice Storm Warnings. Personal opinion is precip looks fairly limited during the period of temps below freezing in the cold wedge zones, and could limit ice accretion.

Let’s look at the Euro hourly precip types

Euro precip through 6pm. This is around the time temps over the high ground wedge zone will begin to rise near and above freezing. If indeed this is the case, ice accretion is not a major issue as far as power, trees etc. However, a trace of ice on a roadway is enough to cause major problems. So be mindful of that.

Let’s look at the temps off the 3km Nam from a variety of ways. The 3km Nam generally sucks at precip output, incoming cold air, but it excels at cold air damming, wedge events

You see that milder surge early tonight as the low passes nearby and as it passes by, a NW push of colder air back by Saturday morning. The cold air return Saturday morning the 3km Nam is likely too cold on that. I’d suspect 30-34° more common vs 20s.

Let’s zoom in to look at the gradient across Garrett County. This is also a large reason the county split is in play. Look at the Finzel area in NE Garrett, vs SW Garrett. Also notice areas east of the Allegheny Front. Theres no mechanism to rapidly scour out that cold laying near the surface there as we will have (wind) across the high ground.

Wind direction off the 3km Nam + Temps

Let’s look at wind off the Euro

midday SE

7pm southerly and notice east side of the Alleghenies. Calm. No mechanism to scour that cold air hanging in the deeper valleys. At this time extreme eastern Garrett still in play as well. Meadow Mt and west. Ice game over.

4am NW bit still no wind east side deeper protected valleys. Pockets of freezing still may occur there.

Through the day Saturday the chilly air (35-40) settles back in for the day, winds go light.

Rainfall amounts total for the event, which more occurs after the mild air gets in looks like .25 to .65 totals with isolated higher pops.

On Sunday, the Wedge zone is in play in a less cold fashion(35-40) but still may hold on through the day in areas it occurs today. While areas west, south in to the 50s all day Sunday. Those 50s sweep area wide Sunday night ahead of a stronger cold push Monday.