Early arctic blast might bring some snowflakes

An arctic blast could bring Frederick County its first sprinkling of snow today.

With highs in the upper 30s to lower 40s and the chance of rain 100 percent, meteorologists predict light snowfall in higher elevations.

"In the northern and western parts of the county, it is possible for snow to be mixing in with the rain at times," AccuWeather meteorologist Andy Mussoline said Friday.

A storm has already dumped as much as 6 inches of snow on State College in central Pennsylvania, Mussoline said.

"It was the earliest accumulated snowfall in recorded history," he said.

Today's chilly weather will also set a local record, said National Weather Service meteorologist Brian Lasorsa. The service has tracked temperatures in Hagerstown for nine years; the coldest mid-October day was 53 degrees in 2003.

The 2010 edition of the Hagerstown Almanack predicts a chilly winter, possibly from mid-November until late March.

Signs of a harsh winter are already evident, the almanac states. Yellow jackets have been aggressive early this year. Oak trees produced a lot of acorns.

Buckeystown farmer Mehrl Mayne said the county is due for a harsh season. "We haven't had a rough winter since '96," he said.

Acorns and walnuts are robust, he said. Geese have been on a feeding frenzy. "The deer have been starting to move earlier this year. Mating rituals," he said.

He has noticed the absence of yellow jackets. "Yellow jackets, they don't move when it's cold."

The insects are usually all over Mayne's Tree Farm because of the sweet smell of the cider the farm sells this time of year.

Mayne's Tree Farm will be open today and Sunday for the annual Family Festival on the Farm, a self-guided tour.

Some farms on the tour have canceled because of the weather, but Carol Rollman said her Sycamore Spring Farms, on Elmer Derr Road in Frederick , will be open both days.

"I've got a mud hole right here that I'm trying to work around," she said Friday.

The horseback riding she had planned is on hold unless the weather improves Sunday, she said.

Lasorsa predicted a 50 percent chance of rain Sunday, with highs in the mid-40s.

"We're going to put straw down all around the farm and make the best of it," Rollman said.

Canning and fiber spinning will be moved indoors, she said.

"I'm converting from an outdoor cookout to Swedish meatballs with a crock pot."

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