'Nasty, Wet, Icy Event' to Last 24 Hours: Maryland Governor

Maryland's governor said the snow and ice storm headed toward the mid-Atlantic will likely hit the state at 10 p.m. Wednesday, at which time people should stay off the roads.

"This is a big storm, and it has the potential to do a lot of damage," Gov. Martin O'Malley said.

A "big swath of nasty snow and ice" was moving up the east coast and would likely hit Maryland around 10 p.m., he said.

"This is going to be a nasty, wet, icy event here in Maryland that will go on for 24 hours," O'Malley said.

State of the Roads

Approximately 2,700 pieces of equipment were at the ready, working with the State Highway Administration to plow roads as necessary.

On Wednesday, crews had already begun salting the roadway, he reported.

Citizens were asked to stay off the roads after 10 p.m. Wednesday. "If you do not have to travel, don't travel," O'Malley said.

If people must go out, they should let family and friends know the route ahead of time; have half a tank of gas, at least; and clear windows, O'Malley said.

Power Concern

With the potential for a significant amount of ice, the state was very concerned about downed power lines and power outages, O'Malley said. He said the state had been in touch with all the utility companies, like BGE and Pepco, which had arranged for additional support in the event of outages.

Already, power usage in the extremely cold weather throughout the state had been putting a strain on utilities, he added.

"'We are seeing an extra burden on the energy grid," O'Malley said. "We're asking people to please do everything they can to reduce their energy use in this time that will take some strain off the grid."

Storm Path Still Uncertain

The governor said that it was still unclear where the line of ice would fall "as it moves its way up [Interstate] 95," but said there would be a 3 p.m. weather briefing with state officials to get the latest information. He urged people to have enough supplies for 24 hours, including nonperishable food, blankets, charged phone, bottled water and flashlights.

"We anticipate [it] will start wreaking havoc here in the state of Maryland around 10," he said.

The Maryland Emergency Management Agency would be fully staffed and mobilized at 10 p.m. Wednesday, according to Kenneth Mallette, the agency's director.

The National Weather Service has "exceptional technology" that will allow the agency to track the storm with better precision than in 2010's Snowmageddon, Mallette said.

Said Mallette: "We're just planning for the worst and hoping for the best."