As they track a storm that could bring heavy snow and temperatures in the teens to the Bel Air area Saturday night and during the day on Sunday, Bel Air Town officials are urging residents to use the days ahead – which come with milder temperatures – to get ready.
“We’ll be watching that [storm] very closely,” Mayor Paula Etting said during a meeting of the Board of Town Commissioners Tuesday evening.
Town Commissioner Jake Taylor said the current storm, which is threatening multiple states from the Southwest to the Northeast, is heading our way almost exactly 10 years after Winter Storm Jonas hit the area in late January of 2016.
“Hopefully, we don’t get anything nearly that severe and we can all just enjoy a nice powdery blanket that doesn’t inconvenience anybody too much and just looks nice,” Taylor said.
The 2016 storm dropped more than 2-and-a-half feet of snow in Bel Air and more than 3 feet in northern Harford County. The current bout of winter weather could bring 6 inches to more than 1 foot of snow, as well as ice and frigid temperatures, according to reports from local media and Harford County emergency officials.
Some snow is expected to hit Saturday afternoon, with the bulk of it falling Saturday night through Sunday night, according to a Wednesday evening forecast from the National Weather Service.
“No matter how much snow we get, I know that our guys will be on it,” Taylor said of the Town’s Department of Public Works staff -- they are responsible for clearing municipal streets, parking lots and walkways when it snows, in addition to many other duties.
Residents who park on the street should keep their vehicles in their driveways, so Town snowplows have enough room to maneuver. Anyone who does not have access to a driveway can leave their vehicle in the municipal parking garage on South Hickory Avenue over the weekend, but they must be out by Monday, DPW Director Steve Kline said.
Property owners, residential and commercial, are required to clear their sidewalks within 24 hours after snow stops falling. Kline stressed the importance of shoveling walks as soon as possible, to prevent ice from forming as below-freezing temperatures are expected to continue next week.
Town Administrator Edward Hopkins urged residents to ensure snow is removed around fire hydrants near their dwelling, so firefighters have access to it if needed. They also should clear snow from around heating exhaust vents outside so carbon monoxide does not get inside.
Ahead of the storm, residents should make sure their gutters and downspouts are free of debris to prevent them from backing up if the snow changes to rain. They also are encouraged to buy snow shovels, salt and fuel for their generators if they need to stock up – Hopkins stressed that generators should be kept outside, away from any enclosed spaces, while running if there is a power outage.
Finally, Hopkins said people should check in with neighbors who are senior citizens or have disabilities.
“Make sure they have what they need, before they need it this weekend,” he said.
Contact Media and Public Relations Specialist David Anderson at 410-838-7181 or danderson@belairmd.org.