Easter to be a Washout for Some Areas of the Northeast

Posted: April 16, 2022 9:59 am

Easter plans may be derailed this weekend as a cold front pushes to the east, bringing precipitation and much cooler temperatures.

Cold Front Pushes Back to the East Coast

The arrival of a cold front on the East Coast will be a harbinger of things to come over the next several days as forecasters warn of a potential nor-easter by early next week. After enjoying warm weather and springlike conditions, it will feel like winter again just in time for the Easter weekend.

A dip in the jet stream will pair with the cold front to produce isolated showers over the Appalachians on Saturday. The warm air currently in place will provide the necessary atmospheric conditions for some of these showers to turn into thunderstorms. The most likely areas to see the gusty storms on Saturday afternoon and evening include the coast of New England and down into the mid-Atlantic. While the warm temperatures will hang on through Saturday, a cool down is in store for Easter Sunday.

Cooler Temperatures on Easter Sunday

The mercury will begin to drop dramatically from west to east late Saturday as the cold front pushes through. The temperature readings will be cold enough in the higher elevations of the Northeast to change the falling rain into snow. While significant accumulation is not likely, some areas may see a coating of slush by the time the sun sets on Saturday. The region most likely to see a bit of accumulation includes northern New England and western New York.

Overnight lows on Sunday morning will hit as low as the mid-20s in the mountainous areas, helping to fuel the development of snow. However, the temperature will remain warm enough along the Interstate 95 corridor to keep the precipitation falling as rain rather than snow.

Sunday will be the coolest day of the weekend with the daily highs averaging between 10 – 15 degrees lower than they were on Saturday. Readings will hover in the mid-50s in Washington, D.C., Boston, and New York City. The mountainous areas will struggle to break out of the 40s on Easter with snow showers possible in northern Pennsylvania and in the higher elevations of New England.

Clearing skies on Sunday night will bring the chance of frosts and freezes throughout much of the region. You would be wise to check the overnight low forecast in your area to see if you need to cover plants.

Second Jet Stream Dip

Another dip in the jet stream will bring a more powerful storm system through the Eastern Seaboard beginning Monday and lasting through Tuesday. The amount of rain that falls will be dictated by the direction and intensity of the winds along the mid-Atlantic coast. If the winds become strong enough, there is a good chance that a nor’easter may develop along the coast. Should this happen, the central Appalachians and the central and northern parts of New England may see significant snow accumulation.

There is the potential of between 4 – 8 inches of snow over the mountainous areas starting Monday and lasting until Tuesday morning. The most likely areas to see this snow include the mountain ranges of northern West Virginia, western Maryland stretching to northern New York, and up through Maine.

If this system does not gain strength to a great degree, most areas in the northeastern corner of the U.S. will only see rain showers with brief periods of wet snow over the mountains.

The good news for those running the Monday Boston Marathon is that the rain should not get started until later in the day.

Another warmup is on the way for the region by the middle of next week. However, more southern movement by the jet stream will bring colder temperatures by the following weekend, setting residents up for the back and forth in the mercury that is typical for this time of the year.

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