OCEAN CITY, MARYLAND — While Washington, DC has not seen a single blizzard warning since January 22–24, 2016, coastal Ocean City, Maryland has quietly emerged as the state’s unlikely “Blizzard Capital.” Since 2018, the beach town has been placed under three official blizzard warnings, most recently during the February 22, 2026 Nor’easter.
The numbers tell a striking story: Washington, DC – 0 blizzard warnings since 2017. Ocean City, MD – 3 blizzard warnings.
Three Blizzard Warnings in Eight Years
Ocean City was under blizzard conditions during the following storms:
- February 22, 2026 – 10.5 inches of snow
- January 29, 2022 – 12.0 inches of snow
- January 4, 2018 – 11.0 inches of snow
Each event met official blizzard criteria, not just snowfall totals but also sustained winds and visibility reductions.
Meanwhile, the nation’s capital has not received a blizzard warning in over a decade. The last warning for Washington, DC was issued during the historic January 2016 Blizzard, marking a sharp contrast between inland and coastal Mid-Atlantic weather patterns.
The Blizzard of 2026: Coastal Focus Again
During the Blizzard of 2026, radar and precipitation maps showed the strongest snow bands hugging the Delmarva Peninsula, with Ocean City positioned directly in the coastal snow and wind axis…