this is the rain. as john mentioned in the last few minutes, there is some rain trying to get up into the southern part of the bay, and some of that will try to push towards baltimore. whether that will reach us, we will just have to wait and see, but right now, the snow is holding strong across the region. as far as temperatures go, we are not really all of that cold. there is a heavy, wet snow. temperatures are in the upper 20's, lower 30's. near the border, some temperatures are pushing towards a 40 in the coastal sections. for baltimore though, we are in for some snow -- pushing towards 40 in the coastal sections. the blizzard warning has been posted for parts of southern maryland, and the entire state is kind of hunkering down. for more on the way the state is preparing and how we will handle all of this, let's go back to dave collins. how is it looking?

>> it is looking like it is everywhere else. the governor did not waste any time declaring a state of emergency, and he joins us now to talk about it. when does declaring a state of emergency provide? >> it allows us to call up national guard and to provide the local governments and laid the groundwork in case we're able to apply for some federal assistance based on the size of this noble -- and lay the groundwork. >> the size of the snowfall -- in case were ableo apply for some federal assistance based on the size of this snow. >> the size of the snowfall. something to pay for this cleanup? >> none of that is on our minds right now. right now, we are just thinking about how we clear the roads. we budget a certain amount for snowfall. some years, we get lucky, and we get no snow, and in other years, like this, we get pounded. it is just something that we

need to be able to do. >> you mentioned in a number of three things that you had that the state did budgets $60 million and spend $50 million so far. >> yes, there was that soft snow -- and spent $50 million so far. this is only the state portion of it. this is not even take into account what the county and city of baltimore and others have to pay, so that is right. we have gone through about $50 million of the $60 million we have budgeted for, so we are going to have to do something in regard to the last five months of this fiscal year. >> sadly, not only for merriman but perhaps for any other state that is facing heavy snow falls -- not only for maryland. they have changed their rules. >> i have heard that they have sort of increase their standard. they may be able to help us if we get more than 27 inches. we will worry about that after we worry about clearing the roads.

>> the state really has uncovered. pictures. 150 cameras, i am told, so any trouble spots? >> we are also able to track the speed on the highway, so you can see that things are starting to slow down at the snowfall becomes heavier. we have 60 sensors in the pavement in places, so we are also able to measure, you know, the salt applications and how warm it is, so so far, so good. we had a very serious accident in harford county, and people just have to be very careful out there. please stay home while be clear for what will probably be a big idg formerly the next 18 hours. >> -- what will probably be a big dig for the next 18 hours. most of what i get, i get from the staff here, who are very professional, but there are two

parts to this operation. one is what is going on at the state highway operations center, which is primarily focused on the highways, but up in reisterstown, where emergency management really heads up our unified command, they are looking at all sorts of other things connected to this, including what we anticipate will be a lot of power outages tonight as this heavy snow cracks branches, and they fall on power lines, and whether we will maybe need to go to a sedentary response, open up shelters, so it -- maybe need to go to secondary response. we will then double back as we watch blizzard conditions and consider whether we need to close highways. >> thank you very much. governor martin o'malley taking time out for us at the operations center. now, let's switch gears and go to jane miller, standing by live with an update on the situation. >> just to follow up on two

things the governor said. first of all, he talked about the fiscal impact. this has been a tough season. in the city of baltimore, we were told today that the city is down to about its last 300 in its snow removal budget, and probably by around 8:00, they are through that. they have already been laying salt. this is obviously going to be a very expensive storm. secondly, you talked about the national guard. the mayor has told us that the national guard is providing 12 humvees, mostly deployed around the fire stations, for assisting medics, and also to assist the police. the most significant are these. number one, no parking in a snow emergency routes. look for those signs that are posted -- no parking in snow emergency route. suddenly, the mayor has suspended the closing of fire

houses, which was a budgetary move -- secondly. third, they have also suspended the circulator bus which just started running earlier in january. that has been suspended this is the mayor's first full day on the job. nothing like this to deal with, but she said she had full confidence that the city is prepared to handle it and encourages folks to go to the city's website or to call the 396 pensoneau number if they need any information or any help in particular -- or to call the 396 snow number. >> we are going to lowell melser. >> we are down the block from her condominium. this is the snow accumulating, giving it that slushy appearance. it is possible, as you can see, but what is odd is the fact that

usually, this is a parking lot right now with cars, especially on a friday with folks trying to go places. it seems that people are heeding the word and staying out of the way. i have not seen any city plows come out, but it really does not need it right now from that standpoint. you can see behind me, and they are assaulting the parking lot. there is a lot of snow removal, going on -- they are salting the parking lot. they are going ahead and letting the folks park for free in a number of the city-owned parking garages. that would be fells point, federal hill, and over in little italy, so you can go and part in this parking garages for free. do not worry if -- and park in those parking garages for free. do not worry if they are not for regular parking. you can park there. people can walk to a number of their favorite places, and that

includes the grill behind me, where i am told there having a benefit for a child with cancer, who they are trying to send to the world cup, so they want people to go out there and help with that clause. we are now going to go up to i- 83 to my colleague john sherman. i imagine you are seeing much the same as we are seeing here. >> yes, absolutely. we have a lot of snow coming down. a couple of jr. devilment -- junior gentlemaen. they are eight years old. snow is really for the kids. what are you going to be doing? >> making snowballs and snowmen. >> we will be doing a lot of stuff. >> playing with each other. first cousins? >> yes. >> getting their shopping done? >> yes. >> we just came. >> so your mom can force a

member. -- for some hamburger. she could not find it? >> ground beef. all right, so you are going to have a great time, right? >> yes. >> an knows school. >> no. -- and no school. >> no. >> that is good because i am happy that i get to play in the snow. my mom just bought me a new game from gamestop. >> all right. all right, guys be all right, listen. you have a new game from gamestop. -- all right, guys. all right, listen. take it easy. all right, lots of folks getting that last-minute shopping done.

let's go to howard county and barry simms. >> well, john, you were given a lot of information, and we are here in ellicott city, and this is in the shopping center. this place has been pretty packed most of the evening. a lot of people have been getting gasoline. josh, use stops in to get gas. >> yes, i just been you stopped in to get gas. >> yes. -- you stopped in to get gas. >> yes. >> tell us about the roads. >> there is a lot of snow, and it is pretty compact. use caution. it is not too slippery. >> and you will use the right to quit next time. >> yes. >> -- you will use the right equipment next time.

>> yes. >> all right. we want to turn around and show montgomery road just to give you an idea of what is going on out here. a lot of people were going out. broward county tells us that they started their operations center -- howard county tells us that. you can see that the road has gotten a lot worse, so they have been coming through with plows, trying to keep the roads open, and we will have more on that later. reporting live from howard county, barry simms, wbal tv 11 news. >> how come the adults do not look as excited as those two little boys? it is snowing even harder if not as hard down in washington. >> the nation's capital could get up to 30 inches of snow. sally kidd has the very latest on conditions just to our south. >> the snow started falling around lunchtime here in the nation's capital, and it is not forecasted to stop until late

saturday. congress called it quits early, and the federal government told workers they could take the day off as washington braced for a colossal snowstorm -- not since 1922 has the nation's capital seemed so much of the white stuff. the forecast for the national weather service says that the jet streams have been on a collision course. >> this originated off of mexico. there is a long moistures dream that has come up that far. -- moisture stream that has come of that far. >> stranded passengers waited in long lines. emergency declarations were issued, telling residents to stay home. >> it is perfect weather for running. >> he still managed to get his lunchtime run in. >> rain would be better, but snow is nice.

>> and some are determined to get in some sightseeing. >> we are ready to go. >> the national park service pretreated sidewalks and had snow removal equipment ready to go. so but this time on saturday, the white house lawn could be covered with more than two feet of snow. first daughters sasha and malia are looking forward to getting outside and play in it. reporting live from washington, sally kidd, wbal tv 11 news. >> playing in the snow as the secret service watches every move that they make. tom is in the weather center. >> we will show you where and track the storm, coming up. >> and later in sports, making it right before our eyes. >> remember, our coverage of the winter storm continues online. you can use the radar for the interaction.

there are also our live blogs. be sure you send us your snow pictures because it is all

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typically, we would be around 18 for the entire year, all right, so we are doing pretty well. the winter storm warning. that big area covers maryland. the red areas are a blizzard warning, and it has been expanded. it now includes anne arundel and p.g. county and the district of columbia all the way down to st. mary's county. that means that the winds are going to be quite strong. perhaps stronger south of baltimore, especially near coastal areas. there is nothing to disturb the flow of the wins. -- winds. the waters of new jersey. let's take a look at how the storm is behaving as far as the hd doppler radar. the northern half of the is snow, north of richmond, right up to baltimore and pennsylvania -- the northern half of this is snow. there is quite a bit of rain. in the western part of west

virginia, kentucky and tennessee and all of north carolina, and that rain/snow line has been edging up a little bit north toward the past couple of hours, but it seems to have stabilized a little bit. maybe a little rain gets into our southern portions of our viewing area. that is what we will be watching, and tom hassett estimates about where we may go with this storm. >> -- and tom has some estimates. >> this will be critical for a good part of the day. so far, many areas have been above freezing. we are getting some reports in the higher terrains. these are starting to drop back into the 20's. 33 in randall's down. -- rentals rebel towone town. this is still hovering within a degree or two of freezing.

high pressure to our north. this double -- and hovering within a degree or two of freezing. these will merge and become one major storm, just east of norfolk tomorrow morning. as this one strengthens, that is what starts to drag the cold air back in. even if we get a little mixed this evening, as the computer models are trying to indicate, this pink shaded area, that is where some sleet or some rain and mixes in, according to the computer. if that happens this evening, it will be replaced with a burst of snow coming back in from the north and the cold air will be drawn in. we think the heaviest snow will occur after midnight, gng into don tomorrow, going into the afternoon across much of merriman -- going into dawn tomorrow. across much of maryland's.

-- maryland. some sunshine as we head into super bowl sunday, so the worst of this storm will be late tonight and early tomorrow morning, and in this area, southeast pennsylvania, the mountains of virginia, the potential is to go over two feet of snow. the insta-weather plus 7-day forecast shows a blizzard conditions tomorrow. it is a potential for another storm arriving on tuesday. >> maryland last night earned its big road win of the season, holding off florida state in tallahassee. they led the way with 23 points. frankly, a typical effort for the kid. that is why he is a finalist for those that are the top guards. plays like this. late in the game. he somehow gets it to go.

the freshman williams. so strong. he may soon dominate. 14.6 rebounds. he, i believe, it is the key to the return to the n.c.a.a. tournament for maryland. the head coach. in catonsville to face there opponent. the shot clock. knocked down the jumper. he rips up the two. that was a 16-8 run, but vermont comes out of the locker room. there is that triple. vermont, the winner. and now, blizzard number two bearing down, are you ready for lacrosse? hopkins playing posted today. losing in the second round -- playing host today.

this leads to a crimson goal. they got it going. one of the many tallies in the afternoon. very nice. frankly, mid-season form. our good friend jim. a lovely gold there. they open up the season for real two weeks from today -- a lovely goal there.

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>> coming up at 11:00, lowell melser is live. >> the snow continues to fall out here at this hour. we will have the latest on the parking situation in the southern part of the city. and also, the snow continues to wayne and mary met in kindergarten. they've been together ever since.

for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health. vows that were tested and kept. thanks, hon. even when cancer hit and cost wayne his job. and scleroderma hit and cost him his hands. and then the wall street crash hit and cost them their life savings. still, they struggle on just to get by, to keep food on the table and to heat their home. mary: the wood stove helps us save on oil, but it's getting harder and harder. at citizens energy, we know the hurt you must feel. we know it's hard for proud people to ask for help. i just want to let you know how happy we are that we can lend a helping hand. wayne: we never thought we would be cold in our own home. mary: thanks to citgo and the people of venezuela. hi, i'm joe kennedy from citizens energy, your nonprofit oil company. if you need help staying warm this winter, give me a call at 1-877-joe-4-oil, because no one should be left out in the cold.

>> what is going on? >> a blizzard warning in several counties. we are under a winter storm warning. heaviest snow coming in later tonight, especially after midnight and until dawn, when we could have one to two feet of snow just overnight, and then the snow gradually tapers off, but not before those totals, especially to the north and west of baltimore, go over two feet. there could be some sleet and rain. this could be across parts of the eastern shore. they have a potential for a mix of some sleet and rain mixed in. hear, a good chance for heavy snow, until at least the early afternoon -- here. sunshine and breezy on sunday and monday and another weaker storm coming next week with a chance for more snow. the slightly warmer temperatures have prevented it from being too bad, but they will be getting

colder. >> u.l. little league be here -- you will literally be here all night? >> yes. >> yes. >>