Baltimore City Activates EOC at 2 p.m. Sunday Ahead of Winter Storm

Baltimore will activate its Emergency Operations Center at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, Mayor Brandon M. Scott announced in a city update, to coordinate a cross-agency response to projected snow accumulation while the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning effective 3:00 p.m. Sunday through 10:00 a.m. Monday.

Local forecasts and city guidance present differing accumulation ranges. The Baltimore City release and WMAR state, "Baltimore is expected to receive four to eight inches of snow." CBS/WJZ’s First Alert Weather Team reports a lower band for some neighborhoods — "1 to 3 inches of snow across the area, though higher totals are possible north and west of the Baltimore Beltway" — and elsewhere cites 5 to 7 inches across Central and Northern Maryland. The NWS warning anchors the timing of impacts across the region.

To keep lines of service open during the storm response, the city said 311 will open at 6:00 a.m. Sunday and "will remain open continuously throughout the day, operating overnight and rolling into Monday." The press release noted, "This extended operation ensures that residents can report service requests and receive assistance without interruption as the City activates its storm response efforts. Caller wait times may increase due to higher call volumes." Residents can submit requests by calling 311, using the Balt311 mobile app, or the web; outlets advised reporting water pressure issues, snow or ice on streets and sidewalks, broken traffic signals, downed trees or branches, parking problems, and requests for salt boxes.

The Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services declared a Code Purple winter shelter activation beginning at 4:00 p.m. Sunday and running to 9:00 a.m. Tuesday. City-funded outreach teams — including MOHS Outreach, People Encouraging People, and the Downtown Partnership of Baltimore — will "identify and engage people experiencing unsheltered homelessness, offering shelter, resources, and transportation." MOHS teams will work extended outreach hours from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Sunday and Monday. Those in need of shelter or those who see someone unsheltered can dial 311, call (443) 984-9540 before 9:00 p.m., or email homelessoutreach@baltimorecity.gov.

Broadcasters and the city urged safety precautions. WMAR advised residents to "sign up for BMORE Alert or by texting BMOREAlert to 888777" and reminded drivers to clear snow from vehicles and prepare for slippery roads, noting bluntly, "Take it slow on ice and snow." WMAR also repeated standard pet-safety guidance: bring pets indoors if possible and contact animal control via 311 if a pet lacks adequate shelter; call 911 if an animal is in immediate life-threatening danger.

School delays or cancellations for Monday remain possible pending accumulation and conditions, CBS/WJZ warned. City officials said they will continue to monitor NWS updates and manage the EOC response as the storm moves through the region, directing residents to 311, BMORE Alert, and official Baltimore City channels for the latest operational information.