Winter Weather to Make an Appearance Again on the East Coast by End of Weekend

Posted: February 11, 2022 2:11 pm

Forecasters are warning those along the Eastern Seaboard that they should be ready for a bit of snow to close out the weekend. Although this storm will pale in comparison to the severe weather that has hit the region over the last several weeks, it may still create some potential road hazards or flight disruptions on Sunday and Monday. At the very least, the weather maker will be a significant change from the warm weather that precedes it.

Warm Weather to Come to an End

This snow storm will move in on the heels of a stretch of unseasonably warm weather, particularly for the mid-Atlantic. Temperatures are expected to hover in the upper 50s to almost 60 degrees throughout Washington, D.C. and Baltimore for the next two days. The normal high for this time of year struggles to get out of the 40s.

This warmth will extend farther south in an even greater degree. For example, the high temperature for Richmond, Virginia on Saturday is expected to be 67 degrees. This is a reading of about 15 degrees above normal for the middle of February.

Do not let the warmer temperatures as of late fool you. It is still winter for the East Coast. While the warmer than usual readings will continue through Saturday, a change will be in store for much of the mid-Atlantic and into New England by Sunday. As the mercury begins its spiral in the overnight hours on Saturday, there is the strong possibility that snow will also fire up.

The good news for those weary of the wintry precipitation is that the rash of above-normal temperatures may help to mitigate the amount of accumulation after it moves into the region late Saturday. It is also likely that some areas may see the precipitation begin to fall as rain before it transitions over to snow with the falling temperatures.

Diving Into the Snowfall Predictions

Forecasters are predicting about 1 – 3 inches of new snow for an area stretching from the North Carolina mountains and West Virginia into Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware. The snow will eventually migrate up to New Jersey, Long Island, and well into the southeastern corner of New England by the time this system wraps up.

The heaviest amount of snow is predicted for central Virginia where up to 6 – 10 inches may fall. Moving farther to the central Appalachians, only an inch or so will accumulate.

Cold Temperatures a Near Certainty

Even if your area does not see significant snowfall out of this system, the cold temperatures are a near certainty. Sunday and Monday will deliver the most frigid temperatures. This means that even if your region does not receive a significant amount of snow accumulation, the smallest amount of water on the roads may freeze up and cause potential travel difficulties. The most dangerous travel conditions are expected for late Sunday and into early Monday.

This mass of cold air will extend into the South. The cold readings will hit Charlotte and into Atlanta by Sunday. Readings may fall from the highs in the 60s to start the weekend into the middle 40s by Sunday.

The coldest day for most areas is likely to be Monday. Some cities in the mid-Atlantic will struggle to reach the freezing mark on Valentine’s Day. The cold is forecast to stick around through Tuesday before the mercury begins to climb again on Wednesday. A new system that is forecast to move into the area on Thursday or Friday will likely deliver precipitation in the form of rain because of the warmer temperatures.

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