Storm Brings Snow, High Winds to Region

A winter storm warning remains in effect until 11 am today, Jan. 4, and a wind chill advisory is in effect until noon Friday, Jan. 5, for St. Mary’s County. Drivers are asked to stay off the roads as high winds continue to blow snow across roadways.

According to the National Weather Service, expect snow through the morning, Jan. 4. “Very cold wind chills
expected late this evening through Friday morning. Plan on difficult travel conditions, including during the morning
commute. Storm total snowfall of 3 to 6 inches expected. Expect wind chills to range from 0 to 10 below zero late this
evening through Friday morning.”

The following delays and schedule changes will be in effect for Jan. 4:

NAS Patuxent River

• UPDATE: NAS Patuxent River has restricted access for the remainder of Jan. 4, 2018, for all but critical personnel due to weather conditions. Critical personnel must report to work as previously scheduled. Non-critical personnel should not report to work. Admin leave is granted for civil service employees designated non-critical. Civil service employees scheduled to telework and those with situational telework agreements should telework unless circumstances prevent it. Check with your command for specific guidance. Contract employees should contact their company for guidance.
• Gates 2 and 3 remain closed, critical personnel should access the base via Gate 1.
• The installation is continuing to monitor weather conditions, and anticipates being open Jan. 5, 2018. An update will be provided at 9:30 pm Jan. 4.

MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital

• Due to inclement weather, a CODE BROWN is in effect for our hospital as of 4:30 am Jan. 4, 2018. For patients with scheduled appointments, tests, or surgeries, please use your best judgment when traveling. Patients, to reschedule an appointment or procedure, contact the appropriate department directly. As a reminder, MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital is open 24/7.
  CODE BROWN Status:
• MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, including our Emergency Department, is open. All surgeries and tests will continue as scheduled.
• MedStar PromptCare in Charlotte Hall is closed as of 5 am Jan. 4. Please call 301-290-1499 with any questions.
• All Outpatient Services at the hospital, including Specialty Physicians, Cancer Care, Laboratory, and Imaging are closed.
• All offices plan to resume regular business hours on Tuesday, Jan. 5, weather pending. If you are unsure about the status of your appointment, please contact the office directly.

St. Mary’s County Government

UPDATE AT 4:15 PM JAN. 4: St. Mary’s County snow plows continue to work to clear county roads in concert with State Highway Administration crews who continue to tackle state roads. Operations are expected to continue into the evening. Drivers are asked to curtail all unnecessary travel for the remainder of the day and tonight, Snow covered roads are expected to freeze over, making for very treacherous driving conditions. As progress continues to be made, an official announcement regarding county government operations for Friday, Jan. 5, will be made at or before 6 am.

Information below was for Thursday, Jan. 4:

• All St. Mary’s County Administrative Offices are closed.
• All St. Mary’s County Public Schools will be closed for students. Code 3 for employees.
• Non-Public School transportation will not operate.
• All Recreation and Parks programs operating in the Public Schools is canceled.
• All Recreation and Parks facilities are closed.
• STS Transit is closed and will not operate.
• The six convenience centers and St. Andrew’s Landfill are closed.
• All three Senior Activity Centers (Garvey, Loffler, and Northern) are closed and no meals will be delivered.
• All St. Mary’s County Library locations (Charlotte Hall, Leonardtown, and Lexington Park) are closed.
• St. Mary’s County Circuit Courthouse is closed.
• All College of Southern Maryland campuses are closed.
• The St. Mary’s County Regional Airport remained open early Thursday morning. The airport reports runways, taxiways, and ramps were 100 percent snow covered. Helicopters are still able to operate.