3 days ago, I flat out missed a flight for the first time in at least 6 years... because I didn't allow enough time for security at BWI. Like you, I knew I was cutting it close, but figured I'd be okay. And then the TSA Precheck line took 27 minutes, and I got to the gate at 4:05pm for a 4:12pm flight. Boom.
So, yeah, do NOT rely on getting through security in anything like a normal time. I'm not sure what the deal is at BWI, because the line wasn't egregiously long; it just moved amazingly slowly. I wonder if the existence of a CLEAR line had an effect -- have the CLEAR folks subtly influenced the Precheck line to move slower in order to incentivize buying CLEAR?
No. Precheck has always been horrible at BWI. More so in the mornings. It's been like this before Clear existed. TBH it's probably worse because more people are flying and the economy is doing better.
BWI and HNL in the mornings are my top ranked most horrible security lines.
I want to say it should be getting better since BWI-EWR are being discontinued. That's at least a Boeing/Airbus plane that won't be flying out either in the morning bank or afternoon bank of flights.