Western Maryland

Climate

The climate of Western Maryland is more akin to the mountains of northern West Virginia than to any other part of Maryland. Summers tend to be much cooler than in the rest of the state, and winters harsher. Temperatures in winter can drop to below 0 F on around eight nights per winter, and snowfall averages from 20 inch farther east to over 120 inch in the higher elevations. In comparison, Prince George's County, in the eastern part of the Washington metropolitan area, would previously average only 25 inch of snow and wintertime maxima exceeded 50 F on a third of all days.

The regional climate is classified as humid continental (Dfa/Dfb) except in some lower-elevation areas of Washington County which have a humid subtropical climate (Cfa). Below is climate data for Hagerstown, the largest city in Western Maryland, located in Washington County, the easternmost and lowest elevation county in Western Maryland. |Jan record high F = 78 |Feb record high F = 82 |Mar record high F = 88 |Apr record high F = 94 |May record high F = 96 |Jun record high F = 102 |Jul record high F = 107 |Aug record high F = 104 |Sep record high F = 101 |Oct record high F = 95 |Nov record high F = 83 |Dec record high F = 75 |year record high F = 107

|Jan avg record high F = 62.5 |Feb avg record high F = 64.2 |Mar avg record high F = 74.9 |Apr avg record high F = 84.3 |May avg record high F = 90.0 |Jun avg record high F = 93.8 |Jul avg record high F = 96.1 |Aug avg record high F = 94.3 |Sep avg record high F = 90.0 |Oct avg record high F = 82.4 |Nov avg record high F = 72.0 |Dec avg record high F = 62.6 |year avg record high F = 97.0

|Jan avg record low F = 6.7 |Feb avg record low F = 10.0 |Mar avg record low F = 16.4 |Apr avg record low F = 28.4 |May avg record low F = 38.4 |Jun avg record low F = 49.2 |Jul avg record low F = 56.1 |Aug avg record low F = 54.1 |Sep avg record low F = 43.6 |Oct avg record low F = 32.0 |Nov avg record low F = 22.3 |Dec avg record low F = 13.8 |year avg record low F = 4.4

|Jan record low F = −27 |Feb record low F = −20 |Mar record low F = −7 |Apr record low F = 9 |May record low F = 23 |Jun record low F = 30 |Jul record low F = 42 |Aug record low F = 39 |Sep record low F = 25 |Oct record low F = 18 |Nov record low F = −4 |Dec record low F = −13 |year record low F = -27

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Below is climate data for Oakland, located in Garrett County, the westernmost and highest elevation county in Western Maryland.

|Jan record high F = 75 |Feb record high F = 76 |Mar record high F = 83 |Apr record high F = 88 |May record high F = 89 |Jun record high F = 95 |Jul record high F = 98 |Aug record high F = 101 |Sep record high F = 95 |Oct record high F = 88 |Nov record high F = 78 |Dec record high F = 74 |year record high F = 101

|Jan avg record high F = 61.0 |Feb avg record high F = 61.9 |Mar avg record high F = 70.5 |Apr avg record high F = 79.4 |May avg record high F = 83.7 |Jun avg record high F = 86.1 |Jul avg record high F = 88.3 |Aug avg record high F = 86.7 |Sep avg record high F = 84.5 |Oct avg record high F = 78.1 |Nov avg record high F = 71.2 |Dec avg record high F = 62.7 |year avg record high F = 88.8

|Jan avg record low F = -6.5 |Feb avg record low F = -3.1 |Mar avg record low F = 5.8 |Apr avg record low F = 20.7 |May avg record low F = 30.0 |Jun avg record low F = 39.6 |Jul avg record low F = 46.4 |Aug avg record low F = 45.2 |Sep avg record low F = 35.0 |Oct avg record low F = 24.0 |Nov avg record low F = 12.6 |Dec avg record low F = 3.7 |year avg record low F = -9.4

|Jan record low F = -40 |Feb record low F = -29 |Mar record low F = -20 |Apr record low F = -2 |May record low F = 17 |Jun record low F = 26 |Jul record low F = 33 |Aug record low F = 30 |Sep record low F = 19 |Oct record low F = 7 |Nov record low F = -16 |Dec record low F = -32 |year record low F = -40 |Jan snow depth inch = 13.2 |Feb snow depth inch = 9.4 |Mar snow depth inch = 5.0 |Apr snow depth inch = 1.0 |May snow depth inch = 0.0 |Jun snow depth inch = 0.0 |Jul snow depth inch = 0.0 |Aug snow depth inch = 0.0 |Sep snow depth inch = 0.0 |Oct snow depth inch = 1.0 |Nov snow depth inch = 1.9 |Dec snow depth inch = 8.3 |year snow depth inch= 17.8 | access-date = June 16, 2021 | archive-date = July 24, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150724075300/http://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=lwx | url-status = dead | access-date = June 16, 2021}}

Below is climate data for Cumberland, the seat of Allegany County: |Jan record high F = 75 |Feb record high F = 83 |Mar record high F = 90 |Apr record high F = 96 |May record high F = 98 |Jun record high F = 103 |Jul record high F = 105 |Aug record high F = 105 |Sep record high F = 102 |Oct record high F = 94 |Nov record high F = 87 |Dec record high F = 80 |year record high F = 105 |Jan record low F = −14 |Feb record low F = −3 |Mar record low F = 3 |Apr record low F = 20 |May record low F = 25 |Jun record low F = 39 |Jul record low F = 46 |Aug record low F = 38 |Sep record low F = 31 |Oct record low F = 20 |Nov record low F = 10 |Dec record low F = −8 |year record low F = -14

According to the Köppen climate classification Hagerstown is Cfa, Oakland is Dfb, and Cumberland is Dfa.

History

In 1748, the Western Maryland population was finally large enough to create a new county called Frederick County; at the time, the county stretched further west than it does today. In the earliest part of the colonial days, German immigrants that came from Pennsylvania had the most influence on the development of the plains and valleys of Western Maryland.

Named for George Washington, Washington County was founded in 1776, by division of Frederick County. The largest city in this county is Hagerstown. It was named after Jonathan Hager, a German settler.

In 1785, the city of Cumberland, which is in Allegany County, was established. The County was the home for many pioneers, when they would travel through the Cumberland Narrows, a 1,000 foot high gap. This gap forms the main pass through the Allegheny Mountains to the west. In the mid-18th century, English settlers came to the county and began to mine and create towns and farms. This county was important for transportation for many travelers heading west. They would pass through by many forms of transportation, including canal, train, and horse and buggy.

The westernmost county in the state, Garrett County, was the last part of Maryland to be settled in 1764. The county was founded in 1872 by John Work Garrett, the B&O Railroad president.

Appalachian development

The Appalachian Regional Development Act was created and passed in 1965 in an effort to correct the poverty issue, and the growing economic problems in the Appalachian region (13 States). According to the State of Maryland Appalachian Development Plan, the Act was passed because: (1) One in every three Appalachians lived in poverty; (2) Per capita income was 23% less than the US average; and (3) High unemployment and harsh living conditions had, in the 1950s, forced more than 2 million Appalachian people to leave their homes and seek work in other regions.

For the state of Maryland, this act was intended to bring awareness to the poverty levels of the Western Maryland counties. The program that was developed for this act was called the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). The main goal of the ARC was to improve the development of the economy, and bring this region into socioeconomic parity with the rest of the nation.

County population

According to the 2010 U.S. census, the three westernmost counties of Maryland have a population of 252,614, accounting for 4.4% of the population of Maryland.

The most populated county is Washington County, which is home to approximately 147,430 people. Allegany County is the next most populated county with 75,087 people, while Garrett County is the least populated with 30,097 people.

Major communities

The following are some of the major cities in Western Maryland by county, in descending order of population, along with the city population of the 2020 census.

Washington County:

• Hagerstown (43,527)
• Boonsboro (3,336)
• Smithsburg (2,975)
• Williamsport (2,137)
• Hancock (1,546)

Allegany County:

• Cumberland (20,859)
• Frostburg (9,002)
• Westernport (1,888)

Garrett County:

• Mountain Lake Park (2,092)
• Oakland (1,925)

Economy

Western Maryland has a heavily agricultural economy. Its best-known crops are the apples grown in the Cumberland Valley, but corn, potatoes, beans, and varieties of green-leaf vegetables are grown as well. Mixed crop and livestock farms are common, and the region has a large number of dairy cattle farms.

Tourism

Tourism is very important to Western Maryland. There is a thriving tourist industry, and has been noted as having "potential for significant growth."

Western Maryland has a number of sites with significance for military history, particularly the Civil War. In 1862, Washington County was home to one of the Civil War's bloodiest single-day battles at Antietam National Battlefield.

Western Maryland, particularly Cumberland, is also home to transportation themed tourism. The Downtown Cumberland Historic District is a National Register Historic District, and Cumberland's Western Maryland Railway Station is a popular site.

Garrett County is also well known for its numerous state parks and outdoor activities. Places such as Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County are frequented by many visitors every year. The largest lake in Western Maryland is Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County. The 4,000 acre body of water is owned by the State of Maryland and is man made. Construction began in 1920 and the lake was filled by 1929. It was originally made to power a small scale hydroelectric plant, but was eventually turned into a tourist destination. The lake is currently managed for boating and fishing, although it still provides some water to generate electricity. The Deep Creek Lake State Park offers fishing piers, beach and swim area, covered pavilions, and opportunities for camping.

Maryland's only ski resort, Wisp Ski Resort, is located on a 172 acre property next to Deep Creek Lake. Hosting a year-round mountain coaster and cross country skiing and snowmobiling in the winter, it is a major tourist attraction in the region.

Sports

Sports teams in Western Maryland include the following:

Garrett County along the Savage River has played host to two ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships in 1989 and 2014.

Education

Colleges in Western Maryland include:

• Allegany College of Maryland – community college
• Frostburg State University
• Garrett College – community college
• Hagerstown Community College – community college

Potential state

In 2014, it was reported that some residents want the region to form a new state, which would include Garrett, Allegany, Washington, Frederick, and Carroll counties. Local supporters of partitioning western Maryland (dubbed "the Western Maryland Initiative") cited a perception of political domination by the more populous eastern portion of the state, particularly with reference to such issues as gun control, taxation, and same-sex marriage.

References

References

1. "Mountain Maryland".
2. Records were kept at the "Hagerstown 1E" [[Cooperative Observer Program. COOP]] station from January 1, 1899, until October 2, 1998, and at Washington County Airport since October 3, 1998.
3. "The Snowiest Place in Each State".
4. "NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
5. "Station: Cumberland 2, MD". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
6. (1882). "History of Western Maryland". Philadelphia : L. H. Everts.
7. "State of Maryland Appalachian Development Plan".
8. "Western Maryland Overview of Regional Trends and Issues".
9. "Deep Creek Lake".
10. "Wisp Resort".
11. (February 10, 2014). "Some Western Maryland Residents Want To Form Their Own State". [[WJZ-TV]].
12. (September 8, 2013). "Western Maryland secessionists seek to sever ties with the liberal Free State". [[The Washington Post]].
13. "Maryland Regions".
14. "Western Maryland American Job Centers". Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation.
15. https://www.census.gov {{nonspecific. (August 2022)