Heavy Snow Falls In Parts Of Western Md.
FROSTBURG, Md. (AP) -- An unusual October winter storm swept into Maryland on Saturday, causing widespread power outages in western parts of the state. More than a half-foot of snow fell in some communities, but the white stuff largely failed to stick in the nation's capital.
Western Maryland was hit the hardest. A winter storm warning remained in effect for parts of the state Saturday evening as snow began tapering off. Snowfall totals varied widely, with Frostburg, in Allegany County, recording 9.5 inches of snow, while most of Baltimore County received much less.
Potomac Edison, the dominant utility in western Maryland, had more than 26,000 outages at one point, said spokesman Todd Meyers.
"It's a pretty good sized storm for us," Meyers said.
In Hagerstown, the Alsatia Mummers Parade was canceled because of unsafe conditions. And in Delaware, Rehoboth Beach's annual Sea Witch parade was canceled for the first time in 22 years because of heavy rain, the Daily Times of Salisbury reported.
Gary Warn, an owner of the Hen House Restaurant in Frostburg, said the snow Friday evening and Saturday has been difficult for business.
"It's dead empty," Warn said of lunchtime. "I haven't had a soul out here this morning."
He wasn't sure what would happen with the dinner reservations.
"As I'm looking out the window right now, the damage is already done. I don't know," he said.
A light, wet snow began mixing with rain in the District of Columbia on Saturday afternoon, but yielded minimal accumulation.
Some communities north and west of Washington reported more snow, including in Clarksburg, which got 3 inches. Snow fell steadily for much of the first half of the Maryland-Boston College football game in College Park, near Washington.
The dusting was short of the 2.2 inches that fell in D.C. in October 1925, a record for the month in the Washington since
official snowfall records began, according to the National Weather Service.
The wintry weather caused flight delays at the major airports that serve New York City. Snow toppled trees and a few power lines in eastern Pennsylvania and led to minor traffic accidents
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
