Watch CBS News

Winter Weather Woes: Frigid Temperatures And Snow Return To Maryland

BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Bundle up Baltimore. It's another night of very cold temperatures.

Derek Valcourt has more on Wednesday's snow and the deep freeze it's causing.

It's affecting everything from our infrastructure to our homes, our cars, our health and even our wallets.

From the Ocean City boardwalk to Kent County, parts of Maryland's Eastern Shore woke to as much as six inches of snow, forcing some schools to close and others to delay opening.

"To be quite honest, I'm pretty much tired of it," one man said.

In much of Central Maryland, a light dusting on the roads came coupled with another day of bitter temperatures and a struggle to stay warm.

"It feels freezing. It's really cold," said Sheree Sheffer.

"My face feels a little numb actually thinking about it," said Gena Craemer.

It's the kind of weather that requires lots of layers and lots of forethought, especially if you are going to be outside all day like water meter reader Kenndra Wilson.

"Your feet get cold, your hands... You have to sit in the truck and warm up. Then I have to get back out here again," Wilson said.

The constant struggle to stay warm is leading to higher than normal utility bills. In fact, local heating oil companies like Rittenhouse Energy Services say, on average, their customers have used about 20 percent more fuel this January over last January.

"Most of the people that are in this region, they keep their thermostat around 65. So that's pretty standard. What's happening is the cold weather is just causing it to burn more because it's colder outside," said Patricia Date, Rittenhouse Energy Services.

The freeze wreaks havoc on Baltimore's underground water mains as the ground shifts and expands--more than 300 ruptures this month alone. It's a problem that has the city spending $300 million over the next five years to replace 150 miles of aging water mains.

Maryland State Police are checking on all disabled vehicles to make sure no one is left on the side of the road for extended periods of time. They're reminding drivers to keep their cell phones charged in case their car breaks down.

It's also a good idea to keep a warm blanket and some water in your car.

Other Local News:

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.