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
Dangerously Cold Temperatures Forecast in Annapolis Tonight through Sunday
Icy Weather Prompts Closures at Rec Center and Transit (Purple Line)
ANNAPOLIS, MD (December 23, 2022) - The National Weather Service is forecasting dangerously low temperatures in the Annapolis area on Friday, December 23, 2022. Bitter cold temperatures and wind chill below zero are expected to continue through Sunday night. In addition, gusty winds, up to 46 MPH are possible on Friday, with strong winds continuing through Sunday. The National Weather Service has issued a Wind Advisory and a Wind Chill Advisory for Friday and Saturday. The temperature during the Friday rush hour is expected to be around 18°F.
The Annapolis Public Works Department (DPW) is prepared for this winter weather event with salt and deicing agents. Crews will treat and plow City streets beginning Friday afternoon. For plowing information, visit the City’s Public Works Snow Information webpage at the following link: https://www.annapolis.gov/730/Snow-Information. This page has information on Snow Emergency Routes, Snow Connector Routes and the City’s Snow Plan. At this time, the City does not plan to declare a Snow Emergency.
It will be best to avoid travel on Friday evening and Saturday morning when conditions are worst and City crews are working to treat streets. The precipitation on Friday will begin as rain; it will switch over to freezing rain/snow on Friday afternoon. Temperatures are expected to hit a high of 25°F on Saturday with overnight lows into Sunday in the teens. Black ice is a significant concern for drivers. If you must travel, please slow down and exercise caution.
Annapolis Transit: Due to icy conditions expected later today and through the night, Annapolis Transit will not operate the evening Purple Route beginning at 7 p.m. Other transit operations will continue on the regular schedule. but route conditions will be monitored throughout the afternoon. For updates or changes to Annapolis Transit, visit: the City’s Facebook page or call 410-263-7964.
Recreation and Parks: The “Pip” Moyer Recreation Center will close at 4 p.m. on Friday. The Stanton Center will close at 4 p.m. on Friday for regularly scheduled activities, but will open as an emergency warming center (see below). For Saturday, the Recreation Center will be closed due to icy conditions (the Rec Center was previously set to close at 1 p.m. for Christmas Eve). The Recreation Center is closed in observance of Christmas Day on Sunday, Dec. 25, 2022. The Stanton Center does not have scheduled programming on weekends. Both the Recreation Center and the Stanton Center are expected to resume normal operations on Monday.
Warming Center Opening: The Stanton Center, at 92 West Washington Street in Annapolis, is open as an emergency warming center and will remain open until 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 27. All referrals must check in to the Stanton Center nightly by 9 p.m. or anytime during the 24 hr opening period. For other shelter needs in Annapolis, contact the Annapolis Office of Emergency Management at 410-216-9167.
The Annapolis Office of Emergency Management advises the following:
Limit travel when possible. If traveling, please remember:
Use caution on roadways (remember: ice and snow, take it slow)
Allow extra time to get to your destination
Be prepared for potential delays
Keep an extra flashlight, food, water, and warm clothes in your car
Spending time outdoors
Watch for ice on steps, sidewalks, and driveways, to avoid risk of a fall and injury.
Look for signs of hypothermia and frostbite.
Wear loose-fitting, lightweight, warm layers, rather than one heavy layer of clothing.
Take breaks when shoveling, don’t overexert yourself.
Cold Weather Related Illnesses
Signs and symptoms of Frostbite include:
At first, cold skin and a prickling feeling
Numbness
Skin that looks red, white, bluish-white, grayish-yellow, purplish, brown or ashen, depending on the severity of the condition and usual skin color
Hard or waxy-looking skin
Clumsiness due to joint and muscle stiffness
Blistering after rewarming, in severe cases
Frostbite is most common on the fingers, toes, nose, ears, cheeks and chin. Because of skin numbness, you may not realize you have frostbite until someone points it out.
Signs and symptoms of Hypothermia include:
Shivering
Slurred speech or mumbling
Slow, shallow breathing
Weak pulse
Clumsiness or lack of coordination
Drowsiness or very low energy
Confusion or memory loss
Loss of consciousness
Bright red, cold skin (in infants)
Someone with hypothermia usually isn't aware of his or her condition because the symptoms often begin gradually. The confused thinking associated with hypothermia may prevent self-awareness.
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
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