Gov. Martin O'Malley said today that Maryland officials are prepared to cope with a weekend snowstorm that is expected to dump and estimated 20-30 inches on the heart of the Interstate 95 corridor.

 "It's going to be a big snow," O'Malley told a news conference at the state highway operations center in Hanover. "We are prepared to deal with whatever Mother Nature throws at us."

O'Malley said he has declared a state of emergency, giving the state the flexibility to draw on National Guard units to assist local first responders. The declaration could also clear the way for Maryland to receive federal emergency assistance if it meets the threshhold of 28 inches of snowfall. "We hope our federal partners measure in a snowdrift," O'Malley said.

The governor urged that motorists stay off the roads tonight and tomorrow if at all possible. "Curl up with a book and stay off the roads," he said.