>>2854699Mountain-forecast.com is a good source for predicted weather conditions at the base and summit of mountains (temperature, windchill, wind speed, precip).
Winter hiking in the Mid-Atlantic may not be as serious as in some places, but you still need to be prepared. Dress in layers, remember "be bold, start cold," avoid cotton, bring EXTRA pairs of socks, and two headlamps as well. Packing a towel to occasionally wipe sweat from your skin isn't the worst idea in the world either. For extra peace of mind, you could also pack an emergency thermal blanket and bivvy. I have a Word document listing everything I need for serious mountain hiking in the northeast, and you can do something similar for your region. There's an abundance of information online re: winter gear so I won't list everything since this post is long enough as it is.
Don't forget preparations for the drive itself. I always have a snowshovel, winter sleeping bag, and military blanket in the back of my vehicle from November through April in case of an emergency.
I'm probably forgetting some things but this will help get you started. Winter is an amazing time of year to hike (fewer people, no bugs or ticks, and easier off-trail exploration). I'm sure you'll love it!
>>2854671>Looks like snowshoes are pretty expensiveFor the states you listed, you're not going to need MSR Lightning Ascents or their equivalent. A $50-100 pair from Amazon or Costco will get you around fine. I've logged hundreds of miles in my backup pairs in comparably hilly terrain, and only use my MSRs in higher-consequence mountains in New York and New England.
