Baltimore spent $88 million on snow removal after Winter Storm Fern

Baltimore City spent $88 million on snow removal following Winter Storm Fern, significantly exceeding the $7 million allocated in the fiscal year 2026 budget. City officials attributed the high costs to prolonged subfreezing temperatures that caused heavy ice buildup and hardened snow, making removal difficult.

Mayor Brandon Scott stated during a Board of Estimates meeting that the expenditure was a response to the severity of the emergency rather than poor financial management. The funds covered private contractors, employee overtime, and the clearing of alleys to ensure trash collection could continue. Clearing approximately half of the city’s alleys cost roughly $18 million, a practice officials do not intend to make standard for future storms.

To manage future responses, city leaders plan to expand GPS tracking for snow removal vehicles and improve coordination regarding bus stop maintenance. While the city will use reserve funds to cover the current deficit, the snow removal allocation for fiscal year 2027 has been increased to $9 million. This budget is based on historical averages and typically excludes extreme weather events like Winter Storm Fern.