PRESS RELEASE
Mayor Gavin Buckley
Public Information Office
160 Duke of Gloucester Street
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Media Contact: Mitchelle Stephenson, 410-972-7724 or mwstephenson@annapolis.gov
City of Annapolis Declares Phase Two
Snow Emergency for Thursday, Feb. 18
Up to 6 Inches of Snow, Sleet and Ice Expected Early Thursday through Friday
ANNAPOLIS, MD (February 17, 2021) - The National Weather Service predicts that Annapolis will see winter weather beginning early Thursday morning, February 18, and extending into Friday. Precipitation will start as snow and then transition to sleet and freezing rain. Accumulations for the Annapolis area could include 4 to 6 inches of snow and an additional inch of freezing rain. For more on the forecast, visit the National Weather Service website.
The City has declared a Phase Two Snow Emergency as of 6 p.m. Wednesday, February 17. Parked cars are one of the biggest challenges for snow crews. Please move vehicles off of Snow Emergency Routes. To find a listing of snow emergency routes, visit: https://www.annapolis.gov/730/Snow-Information.
FREE PARKING: The City will open the four City-owned garages (Hillman, Knighton, Gotts and Park Place) for residents to park for free beginning at 6 p.m. Wednesday evening. Vehicles may be towed on Snow Emergency Routes at the expense of the vehicle owner. Residents must remove vehicles from City garages (by simply driving out - the gates will be open) by Friday at 6 p.m. or be charged. Where possible, park vehicles in driveways and off public streets so plows can clear as much as possible.
The Annapolis Department of Public Works (DPW) is prepared for this storm with more than 800 tons of salt and deicing materials for streets and sidewalks. Crews will begin treating roads Thursday morning. DPW crews will work in 12-hour shifts to clear snow and treat icy conditions. If possible, please avoid travel during the storm to allow plow crews time to do their work. If you must travel, please slow down and exercise extreme caution because ice events make for treacherous driving conditions.
City of Annapolis Employee Leave Policy: Due to the anticipated weather conditions on Thursday, February 18, employees who have the opportunity to telework are encouraged to do so. Non-essential and quasi-essential employees should work with their supervisor regarding liberal leave. Essential employees should report as normal or assigned.
Annapolis Transit: At this time, transit routes will operate on the regular schedule, including the Circulator. For updates or changes to Annapolis Transit, visit: the City’s Facebook page or call 410-263-7964.
Recreation and Parks: At this time, the “Pip” Moyer Recreation Center will follow regularly scheduled opening and closing times. For schedule changes or snow-related closures, please visit the Recreation and Parks FACEBOOK page or the Pip Moyer Recreation Center FACEBOOK page.
Annapolis Call Center: The Annapolis Call Center will be operational throughout this event for non-emergency questions related to the winter storm and City Services. Annapolis residents can call 410-260-2211.
Warming Center Opening: The Stanton Center, at 92 West Washington Street in Annapolis, will be open as a warming center beginning at 7 p.m. on Wednesday (referrals must check-in before 9 p.m.). The plan will be to hold the Stanton Center open as a warming center for 24 hours. Please follow the Office of Emergency Management FACEBOOK Page or sign up for Alert Annapolis for additional warming center or emergency shelter opening information. At all warming center or emergency shelter locations, masks are required. All COVID-19 safety protocols must be followed.
Regularly Scheduled City Business: The City Council Work Session for Thursday, February 18 (3 to 5 p.m.) will go on scheduled and is available on City of Annapolis TV, Facebook, YouTube and Granicus. The Board of Supervisors of Elections meeting (7 p.m.) and Planning Commission meeting (7 p.m.) will go on as scheduled and are available live streaming on the Annapolis Boards and Commissions YouTube page.
Stay Informed:
Download the “Prepare Me Annapolis” mobile app to receive important push notifications on your smartphone. The app is available for both Apple and Android devices.
Sign up for Alert Annapolis, a community notification system. Receive voicemails, text messages, and/or emails in case of emergencies or other events. Find out more at http://alertannapolis.civicready.com
Connect with the City on social media:
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