STERLING VA: (Rocktown Now) – A prolonged blast of Arctic air and powerful winds is creating life‑threatening conditions across portions of north‑central and western Maryland, northwest and western Virginia, and eastern West Virginia. An Extreme Cold Warning remains in effect until 10 a.m. Sunday.
Forecasters warn that wind chills will plunge to 10 degrees below zero in the valleys and 20 below zero along the ridges, making any time outdoors hazardous. At the same time, northwest winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts reaching 50 to 60 mph, are expected to cause widespread damage.
Officials say the combination of bitter cold and high winds will likely bring down trees and power lines, leading to significant and widespread power outages. Travel may become difficult, particularly for high‑profile vehicles, and anyone exposed to the cold risks hypothermia in minutes…