Northeast Braces for Snow, Rain, Ice, and More to End Week

Posted: February 23, 2023 12:22 pm

While the bulk of the moisture impacting the Midwest in the last few days has moved on, the massive winter storm is now setting its sights on the Northeast. Snow and ice will be the story for this corner of the country on Thursday and Friday. Is your neck of the woods in the zone of potential impact? Here are the latest details that you need to know as this storm approaches.

Who Will See Meaningful Snow This Time Around in the Northeast?

It looks as if the snow drought will continue for the major cities of New York City and Philadelphia. The worst of the winter weather is expected to hit north of the Interstate 80 corridor. While the wintry precipitation fired up late Wednesday, the warm weather as of late in this part of the country has been limiting the amount of accumulation.

However, that is anticipated to change heading into Thursday as the temperature begins to drop. While New York City and Philadelphia may see a few snowflakes by dawn on Thursday, the accumulation will not likely amount to anything that snarls traffic.

The areas that can expect the accumulation to stick includes a zone stretching from western and central New York state, into portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire. Freezing rain may bring down power lines and trees by early Thursday, potentially putting some people in the dark to start the day.

It may also be a dicey morning commute for Boston thanks to the wintry mix. Travelers heading out to Boston Logan International Airport will want to stay abreast of any flight changes as deicing operations will likely be in effect for much of the day.

The ski resorts in New England will welcome the arrival of heavy snow through Friday evening. Forecasters are predicting a general 6 – 12 inches of new snow for the northern tier of the region. A small pocket of 12 – 18 inches is possible for northern Vermont and New Hampshire as well as the northwestern corner of Maine.

Warmer Temperatures to the South Will Keep Precipitation as Rain

At this time, forecasters are not expecting any significant amounts of snow to fall south of Interstate 80. This part of the country is forecast to see intermittent rain showers for the next few days.

An area of high pressure set up over the Atlantic Ocean near Bermuda is pushing record-challenging warm temperatures into the Southeast. This unseasonable warmth is creeping upward and pairing with a limited amount of moisture to keep the wintry precipitation away from the mid-Atlantic and southern portions of New England. Instead, moisture in this area is predicted to only fall as rain.

The warmth will bring the chance of record-breaking temperatures to a number of cities in the Northeast, including Washington, D.C. and Pittsburgh. The current record high for February 23 in Philadelphia is 75 degrees, going all the way back to 1874. There is a chance that this record may fall on Thursday. The mercury is expected to soar to nearly 80 degrees in the nation’s capital. Should this happen, the 1874 record of 78 degrees will also fall.

Enjoy these warm readings while they last. The forecast is predicting a mass of colder air coming in behind the storm on Friday and Saturday, sending the temperature plummeting by about 40 degrees in some areas. For instance, while Washington, D.C. is expected to see a high of 80 degrees on Thursday and 60 degrees on Friday, the mercury will hover in the low 40s by Saturday.

Overnight lows will drop below zero across some areas of the Northeast on Friday night. The lows will be the most frigid in areas that have snow on the ground.

Next Chances of Snow and Rain

Once this enormous storm system finally exits the region on Friday, another duo of weaker storms are predicted to move across the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. Your elevation and latitude will determine if you see rain or snow out of this pair of storms. Snow flurries will be possible as far south as West Virginia with a wintry mix or rain falling across Delaware and Virginia.

The first part of the weekend may be distinguished with a wintry mix across the central Appalachians and up through southern New England. Meanwhile, the end of the weekend may usher in another chance of snow in New England and New York state. However, forecasters are still uncertain about the moisture pattern offered by these minor weather makers. Stay tuned to your local forecast in the coming days for more precise details.

Snow Drought Continues for Much of Northeast

The one thing that forecasters are certain of at this point is that the snow drought is likely to continue for the Interstate 95 corridor stretching from southern New England down into mid-Atlantic. Only the northern portions of New England have experienced regular snowfall this winter season.

However, this snow is still well below the historical average in most places. For instance, Boston has only recorded 7.9 inches of snow so far this season, compared to a historical average of 35.3 by this date on the calendar. This week’s systems are not likely to deliver more than another few inches of accumulation to the city.

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