Flash freeze, high winds hit region
Dec. 23—CUMBERLAND — A vehicle rollover crash on Interstate 68 and reports of lines down in Frostburg and Knobley Road in nearby Mineral County, West Virginia, pressed volunteer first-responders into service shortly after daybreak Friday upon arrival of a much-anticipated Arctic front.
High winds also toppled the city of Cumberland's Christmas tree on the downtown mall. City workers were reportedly able to salvage some ornaments but removing the tree.
The accident was reported westbound at the 31-mile marker about 7:30 a.m.
Dispatch centers in Allegany and Mineral counties alerted first responders to the incidents that were reported as temperatures began plummeting and strong gusting winds arrived throughout the region about daybreak.
The National Weather Service posted a high wind warning to remain in effect until 6 a.m. Saturday. A wind gust of nearly 60 mph was reported at Keysers Ridge in Garrett County, according to Maryland State Highway Administration sensor data posted at https://chart.maryland.gov/travInfo/weather.
A warming shelter was open Friday at the Frostburg Municipal Center, 37 Broadway, for those who have lost electricity.
The snow emergency plan was placed in effect at 8 a.m. Friday in Allegany County where dispatchers were fielding emergency calls for accidents, downed utility lines and tree limbs and medical calls. Officials lifted the plan at 4 p.m.
Power outages were reported throughout the region. At about 4:30 p.m., several thousand customers of Potomac Edison were out of service in the region, including 1,252 in Allegany County, 1,458 in Garrett County, 2,623 in Hampshire County and 603 in Mineral County. The outage numbers continued to decline throughout the afternoon.
