Winter Storm Grayson is battering portions of the East Coast today with whiteout conditions reported from Coastal Delaware to New Jersey and up to Long Island and portions of New England. The storm has been deemed a "bomb cyclone" by weather forecasters, and while the Chesapeake region did not get a great deal of snow, we are seeing icy temps, high winds, and frozen waters in certain portions of the Bay. Satellite image of the Chesapeake Bay taken Jan. 3 shows ice covers at Tangier Sound, the Choptank River, and coastal Bays. Courtesy Eyes on the Bay/Maryland DNR

Hampton Roads

On January 3, the Coast Guard Sector Hampton Roads Captain of the Port set ice condition two and planned to close the Capes to inbound and outbound vessel traffic that evening. The Coast Guard reports that ice condition two is set when there is significant formation of ice in navigable waters. Ice has been reported on Virginia's Eastern Shore and in the Chesapeake Bay tributaries. Vessel traffic within the Hampton Roads Port will be limited to vessels less than 2500 gross tons. Mariners are requested to use extreme caution when transiting and to report any observation of ice accumulation on navigable waters to the Sector Hampton Roads Command Center on marine radio VHF-FM channel 16 or at (757) 668-6635. Reports will be monitored daily.

Northern Chesapeake

The Coast Guard Sector Maryland National-Capital Region Captain of the Port (COTP) set ice condition three Monday, January 1, and cautions mariners to be aware of ice formation on the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries. Ice condition three is set when weather conditions are favorable for the formation of ice in navigable waters.The status for local waterways can also be found at homeport.uscg.mil/port-directory/maryland-ncr or by calling the Sector Maryland-NCR ice line at 410-576-2682.

Icy conditions on Seneca Creek in the Northern Bay.

ABC2 News reports that the Port of Baltimore will be closed through Friday morning, and that the U.S. Coast Guard will not allow ships to enter the Port due to high winds from this winter storm. No cruise ships are scheduled to leave the Port until Sunday.

The Coast Guard Cutter Chock, homeported in Baltimore is currently underway to conduct ice-breaking and other relief efforts at, and in the vicinity of, Tangier Island.

Deep Creek Lake

Out in Garrett County, ice fishermen are rejoicing at the cold weather and freeze that has already set in on Deep Creek Lake. According to Maryland Natural Resources Police, ice conditions are as follows as of Tuesday, January 2:
  • Savage Reservoir has 4 inches of good, clear ice, but is open below Dry Run.
  • The Yough Reservoir, straight out from Mill Run Campground, has 4 inches of ice.
  • McHenry Cove 2 inches of ice, but not great ice
  • Green Glade, up to 5 inches
  • North Glade at the mouth, 4 inches
  • Sky Valley by Bills Service Center, 5 inches
  • Deep Creek Lake State Park 5 inches; by the bridge, 5 inches
  • Deep Creek Lake State Park by the swimming area, 4 inches.
It has been reported that snowmobiles have already been seen on the lake but NRP cautions that the ice need to thicken for that to be safe. FishTalk Editor Lenny Rudow has some great tips on cheap and easy ice fishing, be it on Deep Creek Lake or a river on the Bay. With this cold weather, what else is there to do?