Cold Air, Snow, and Winds Mark the Star of the Week in the Eastern Great Lakes and Interior Northeast

Posted: December 18, 2023 10:26 am

A surge of cold air that will bring the chance of snow is going to sneak into the eastern Great Lakes and across the interior Northeast to start the new work week. Here is what you need to know about this wintry forecast.

Snow and Cold in the Forecast for Parts of Great Lakes and Northeast

Despite the official start of the astronomical winter still being a few days away, the season is going to make its presence known across many areas of Michigan, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia as the holidays inch closer. While the upcoming weather pattern will not last long, it will be potent enough to create potentially dangerous travel conditions in the impacted zone. The snow and cold will arrive right on the heels of a bigger storm system that is pushing up the Eastern Seaboard this weekend.

Forecasters are predicting that the second system in as many days will only linger for 24 to 36 hours. Just prior to the arrival of the blast of winter, the region will enjoy dry and mild weather. Temperatures may eclipse the 50-degree mark for highs in cities such as Detroit, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh. These readings will translate to about 10 degrees higher than the historical average for the middle of December.

The biggest weather story of the weekend will be the potent storm making its way up the East Coast, eventually sending rain to some of the eastern Great Lakes by late Sunday. A change in the air pressure will whip up the winds on Monday throughout a large portion of the Great Lakes.

Cold Air Will Change Rain to Snow as Winds Pick Up Speed

How windy will it get? Forecasters are estimating that gusts will hover around 40 to 50 mph late Sunday and throughout the day Monday in the areas located downwind of the lakes. Winds of this speed could be enough to bring down small tree limbs and trigger sporadic power outages for the region.

The jet stream is forecast to make a move to the south on Monday, bringing in colder air from Canada. This will happen at about the same time that energy circulating in the upper levels of the atmosphere moves into the region. The rain showers will begin to transition to snow as the mercury plummets in the evening hours Monday.

Commuters in areas such as Detroit should be prepared for a potentially dicey venture on Monday evening. Roads may also turn slippery across some areas of western Ohio and Indiana.

The wintry weather will track into areas farther to the east and the south late Monday, bringing the chance of snow to eastern Ohio, western portions of Pennsylvania and New York, and West Virginia. Temperatures are still relatively warm in the waters of the Great Lakes, meaning that the lake-effect snow may be enhanced as the cold air moves over these bodies of water.

The zone expected to see the most snow out of this quick-hitting weather system will be areas downwind of lakes Ontario and Erie in addition to the upslopes of the central Appalachians across West Virginia and Pennsylvania. A few inches of snow may pile up in these areas.

The weather pattern will return to a milder trend by the middle of the week. In fact, temperatures may even inch back up above the norm for this time of year heading into the holiday weekend.

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