Nor’easter Forecast to Deliver Dose of Winter in April to Much of the Eastern Seaboard

Posted: April 18, 2022 9:55 am

Temperatures to Moderate by End of Week as High Pressure Builds

A rare late April nor’easter is in the works, signaling that Mother Nature definitely has some tricks up her sleeve this spring.

Easter Weekend Felt More Like Christmas in Some Places of the Northeast

It has not been the best Easter for weather for the Northeast. A shot of cold air paired with snow showers and rain is only the beginning of the inclement weather that is on tap to start the new week.

After experiencing downright balmy weather throughout the northeastern corner of the U.S. last Thursday, the mercury quickly began a downward spiral to usher in the holiday weekend. All of the warmth that residents had enjoyed the week before was replaced by a mass of chilly air, snow flurries, rain, and hail.

Nor’Easter Set to Impact Large Part of Eastern Seaboard

The weekend’s weather pattern may be nothing compared to the impending nor’easter that is forecast to organize late Monday. Although nor’easters are usually characterized by heavy snow along the Eastern Seaboard, this rare April event will change the dynamic so that many of the impacted areas only see rain. Significant rainfall is now expected along a large swath of land stretching from the mid-Atlantic coastal areas up through southern New England. This rain will fire up late Monday and continue through Tuesday.

While some areas will only see moderate rainfall, heavy thunderstorms will hammer a large area of the Carolina Coast starting Monday afternoon as the nor’easter begins to organize and strengthen. This area of low pressure will move to the northeast in the late Monday hours, bringing the effects of the powerful storm to millions of Americans.

Early Monday will be the best time of the day for outdoor activities in cities such as Washington, D.C., New York City, and Philadelphia. Forecasters are hopeful that the rain should hold off in Boston until later in the day, keeping runners in the Boston Marathon dry and comfortable.

In addition to the heavy rainfall, the nor’easter will deliver strong coastal winds and the chance of flooding, particularly along the coast at high tide.

What About Snow?

Unlike most nor’easters, snow will not be the major storyline of this storm. Thanks to the warmer temperature this time of the year, the snow will be limited to the interior areas of the Northeast. The mercury is expected to drop into the 20s and 30s throughout the bulk of the Northeast in the overnight hours Monday into Tuesday. This may bring the chance of wet snow mixing in with the rain that is predicted to begin falling earlier.

The higher elevations of southwestern Pennsylvania expanding up through the entirety of New England may see up to six inches of snow with the most significant accumulation happening near the Canadian border of Canada. Regardless of where you live in the Northeast, you may see a slight coating of slushy snow on Tuesday morning, making it important that you check road conditions before heading out on your commute. The warm ground temperatures will make significant accumulation unlikely with the exception of the mountainous terrain.

Looking Ahead

The temperature readings are expected to rise on Tuesday, sending the mercury over the freezing mark, making snow less likely. However, gusty winds on the docket for the day could create potential travel hazards and delays.

Calmer conditions will prevail for the second half of the week, however, the cooler temperatures will remain locked in. An area of high pressure is expected to build in time for the week, delivering more seasonable weather conditions.

Did you find this content useful? Feel free to bookmark or to post to your timeline for reference later.

Recent Posts