Weekend to Bring Widespread Snow to Northeast and Beyond

Posted: December 9, 2022 9:47 am

Those residents of the coastal Northeast hoping to see their first glimpse of snow this season may be in luck in the coming days. Some areas may even measure significant snowfall as two separate storm systems move into the mid-Atlantic from the Midwest beginning late Friday.

First Storm Already Making Snow in Upper Midwest

The first weather maker is already starting to produce moderate amounts of snow in portions of Iowa, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. This initial storm is forecast to hit an area of dry air when it reaches the Appalachians on Saturday, translating to only a light dusting of snow or a wintry mix for most of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic.

The mass of dry air will be significant enough to block rain from moving north into New England and south into the coastal mid-Atlantic on Saturday. Other than a bit of snow early in the weekend across the central portions of the Appalachians, Saturday should be the best travel day for the East Coast.

Bracing for the Second Storm

The second of the pair of storms will be the bigger snow maker, delivering a solid chance of accumulating snow to a larger area, including places such as New York City. Areas located just west of the Interstate 95 corridor may see a few inches of white stuff out of this system that will hit late in the weekend.

The greatest chance of snow will happen late Sunday when cold air is expected to dip down from Canada and merge with the strengthening center of energy associated with the weather system. This movement is forecast to produce 1 – 3 inches of snow in the interior Northeast, encompassing the bulk of New York state, western Massachusetts and Connecticut, the northwestern corner of New Jersey, and northern and central Pennsylvania.

Several inches of new snow is on tap for the ski resorts in the Pocono and Catskill mountains. However, this amount of snow also means a good chance of hazardous travel conditions along parts of interstates 80 and 81 throughout the higher elevations. Roads that are only slushy in spots on Sunday may freeze over in the overnight hours, making for a rough Monday morning commute even at the lower elevations.

The weather may also trigger travel delays in the air late Sunday and into Monday as crews work overtime to deice planes.

At this point in the forecast, New York City is predicted to be in the primary impact zone of the snow. The measurable snow may reach as far north as Boston depending on the storm’s intensification across the Atlantic.

Snow Long Time Coming

It has been a long time since New York City has seen any snow. The last measurable snowfall in the Big Apple was back on March 9 with the last accumulation of over an inch dating back to February 13.

You have to go back even farther to find the last accumulating snowfall in Philadelphia. Over 7 inches of snow was reported in the City of Brotherly Love on January 28 and 29 of 2022.

This long drought is in sharp contrast to the interior Northeast, the eastern Great lakes, and parts of the Appalachians. This region of the East Coast has already seen snow measured in feet in some places thanks to the lake-effect snow machine.

Looking Ahead to Monday

Many commuters may be in for a headache for the Monday morning drive. The western suburbs of metropolitan areas such as Philadelphia and New York City should be ready to take it slow heading into work. This wintry mix may reach as far north as Boston. While there is still time for the forecast to change, it looks as if those in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area may only be dealing with a light and wet snow at the worst.

The last of the two storms is predicted to move out in the Atlantic Ocean by the middle of the day Monday. This will naturally translate to an easier afternoon and evening commute when compared to the morning.

After a few days of calm weather, the next round of precipitation will be gearing up to slam into the region late in the week. Be sure to stay tuned to your local forecast so that you are not caught off guard.

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

Recent Posts