BALTIMORE — The Baltimore metro area is bracing for a snowstorm that could be its biggest since the blizzard of 2016, with forecasters warning that heavy snow, ice, and bitter cold could grip the region beginning late Saturday and linger into next week.

FOX45 meteorologist Gerard Jebaily said snow could last through Sunday, with some areas seeing at least 6 inches and totals possibly exceeding a foot if forecasts hold. He likened the scenario to the blizzard of 2016, when nearly 30 inches of snow buried much of the region.

“This has the potential to be the biggest snow we’ve seen in about 10 years,” Jebaily said. “It will be more than enough to cause plenty of problems for travel. This is going to be impactful for most, if not all, of the state of Maryland.”

AccuWeather senior meteorologist Chad Merrill said much of Maryland has a 60% to 80% chance of receiving at least 6 inches of snow. Southern Maryland, including Ocean City and Salisbury, carries a 40% to 60% chance of similar totals. He warned that freezing rain along and east of Interstate 95 could make roads slick and lead to localized power outages, particularly in the southern part of the state.

“Arctic cold is expected to follow next week, so snow and ice may not melt anytime soon,” Merrill said. “Even snow that melts during the day could refreeze overnight.”

The storm is expected to affect much of the East Coast. Ice accumulations in the Carolinas and far southern Appalachians, including the Atlanta metro area, may lead to widespread outages, while travel delays could linger for days, according to the National Weather Service. North of Maryland, the storm is expected to bring snow to Philadelphia, New York and Boston, with up to 6 inches possible in Philadelphia.

Cities and counties prepare for storm

Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott said city officials are preparing for the worst-case scenario — potentially more than a foot of snow — while hoping forecasts shift.

“We’re going to pray that that doesn’t happen,” Scott said Wednesday.

He encouraged residents to stock up early on essentials, including water, batteries and flashlights.

“Do not wait until this weekend to get the things that you need,” he said.

In Baltimore County, officials are readying to deploy approximately 20,000 gallons of brine over 250 miles of main roads starting Thursday, while 3,000 tons of salt have been stocked for ongoing salting efforts. The county’s fleet includes 42 plow trucks and dozens of contractor vehicles, with crews set to report early Saturday evening and work through Monday afternoon.

Baltimore County Public Schools say they’ll follow traditional inclement weather protocols if the snow lasts through Monday, with spokesperson Gboyinde Onijala saying there were still three unused snow days built into the calendar.

Carroll County Deputy Public Works Director Douglas Brown said the county is preparing for at least 6 inches of snow, calling it a “standard snow event” his crews are equipped to handle.

“This will be a multiday event for us,” Brown said, adding that crews will pretreat roads with salt, plow during the storm and complete cleanup afterward, with help from contractors.

He urged residents to park off the street and limit travel so crews can work more quickly.

On the Eastern Shore, counties want to make sure they’re ready for whatever happens.

“Crews are putting on plows and checking over the equipment and fueling everything up,” said Worcester County Roads Superintendent Kevin Lynch. “We’ve replenished our salt brine tanks for any pretreating of the roads prior to the storm.”

Ocean City officials said they’re also prepping snow removal equipment, while Wicomico County officials are going through plans, to make sure everyone knows their role when the storm hits.

Restaurants split on staying open

Baltimore-area restaurateurs had mixed opinions on if — and how — their eateries would remain open during the forecasted storm.

“(Snow) is the four-letter word that we don’t want to hear in the restaurant industry,” said Paul Oliver, owner of the restaurant, Dalesio’s of Little Italy. “Cancellations are already starting to happen.”

In spite of the forecast, Oliver plans to keep Dalesio’s open, snow or shine, during the weekend “for anybody that might want to do takeout.”

Other restaurant owners, such as Gianluca Parascandolo of Riverside’s Limoncello, have not been as quick to solidify a plan.

“The weather changes a lot and could change at any moment, so we’re just keeping a close eye on it,” he said. “If it seems like we’re getting a significant snowstorm, we will probably shut it down for a day or two, or as long as we need to for everybody to be safe.”

Mosi Treuhaft, owner of Pikesville’s Knish Shop, added, “The way we handle it is, we make last-minute decisions. If there’s a lot of snow, I generally do not ask my employees to come in, just for safety reasons.”

Treuhaft and other business owners are also tasked with confirming, or potentially canceling, catering orders for the weekend.

“I do have a large order going out on Sunday, but I don’t think that’s going to be a problem,” said LaQuicha Brown, owner of chocolate-covered strawberry shop Berries By Quicha. “We’re closed on Sunday and Monday, and, prayerfully, by Tuesday, it’s clear and we never skipped a beat.”

Some precautions to take

Baltimore officials urged residents to sign up for BMORE Alerts, check on vulnerable neighbors and limit travel if conditions worsen. The Mayor’s Office of Homeless Services said it will activate its winter shelter and Code Purple plan to provide extended emergency shelter when wind chills drop to 32 degrees or below.

With temperatures expected to remain well below normal into next week, officials advised residents to dress in layers, use caution on icy surfaces, protect pets and insulate exposed pipes. The National Weather Service also warned to plan for road closures and prolonged travel delays as the storm unfolds.

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(Sun reporters Natalie Jones, Jane Godiner, Josh Davis and Marissa Yelenik contributed to this article.)

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