1" to 3" of Snow for New York City and Boston

Snow Prompts Warnings, Advisories

Coldest Air of the Winter So Far Coming

Will the Cold Ease by Inauguration Day?

Warm, Dry, Storm-Free West

Jack Boston and the Long-Range Forecast

Raw Video: Blizzard, Accidents in Minnesota

Raw Video: 27-Car Pileup

Breaking Weather - Snow in the Northeast

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A second clipper storm is tracking through the Pennsylvania early this morning, taking a path farther south than its predecessor 24-36 hours earlier. The new clipper will bring accumulating snow from Pennsylvania to southern New England and New York City today.

The clipper will produce 3 to 6 inches of snow over western Pennsylvania. Residents over southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island will measure similar totals as the clipper regains strength over the Atlantic Ocean later today. A few locations within the 3- to 6-inch snow band can receive as much as 10 inches of snow due to a high moisture to snow ratio, known as the liquid equivalent.

This high-ratio factor of the storm will pose challenging forecasts in that a mere 0.50 of an inch of moisture can lead to 10 inches of snow, compared to the typical 1 inch of moisture bringing the same amount.

The cities that lie within the clipper's heaviest snow zone include Pittsburgh and Providence. One to three inches is forecast for New York City and Boston. However, there is the potential for more in these cities and their suburbs, if the high-ratio band of snow wanders close by.

The snow creating slippery roadways will not be the only concern for motorists. Problems will persist beyond when the snow stops falling.

Blustery winds increasing on the clipper's back side will whip the snow around, which will be powdery in nature. The blowing snow will drift across roads and could lead to dangerously low visibility or "ground blizzards."

The frigid air being ushered in by the blustery winds could make many inexpensive ice-melting compounds ineffective, especially in the Midwest. Below 25 degrees, the efficiency of pure rock salt greatly diminishes.

The heaviest snow grazed the city of Chicago with the greatest amounts falling on the South Side, but the blowing snow and severe cold following the storm threatens to impact commuters greatly today.

Flight delays could occur at major airports in the East today, including Philadelphia, Newark, La Guardia, JFK and Boston-Logan. The delays early in the day would be from the departing snow, while midday and afternoon delays may be due to wind.

• Latest Snowfall Map
• Winter Weather Center
• Snow Forecast for New York City
• Get Into the Clipper Discussion Forum
• Blowing Snow for Chicago
• Radar Showing the Clipper's Snow
• Jesse Comments on the Cold Storm Dangers
• FAA Flight Delay Map

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Arctic air in the wake of the clipper will blast over many places east of the Rockies through Friday. The frigid air will enhance the dangerous cold over the Midwest and bring the Northeast its lowest temperatures so far this winter.

Temperatures remained below zero over a large part of Minnesota on Wednesday. Blustery winds will continue to cause AccuWeather.com RealFeel® temperatures to dangerously plummet below minus 30° early this morning.

The extreme cold poses a serious health risk to people, as well as pets. While frostbite can develop in only a matter of minutes, prolonged exposure to the bitter cold may result in potentially deadly hypothermia.

Temperatures in Chicago early this morning will drop below zero with RealFeels® temperatures forecast to hover around minus 25°. Temperatures will generally stay subzero the rest of today.

Chilly air settled over the Northeast in the wake of Tuesday's clipper. High temperatures will tumble further today into Friday with the arrival of the harsh cold.

Temperatures in New York City will plummet to 5° tonight then fail to reach the 15-degree mark on Friday. The city has not endured a temperature at or below 5° since Jan. 28, 2005.

Should temperatures drop to near zero in the Big Apple, the last time temperatures were that cold was on Jan. 19, 1994.

The bitter cold will expand beyond the northern tier of the nation, reaching the southern Plains later today. Temperatures will drop under 40° in Dallas early this morning then remain there until Friday afternoon.

The chilly air will sweep across the South today into Friday. Daytime temperatures will struggle to reach the 30-degree mark in Raleigh and Charlotte on Friday. Late-night and morning temperatures could drop into the single digits away from the major metropolitan areas of the Carolinas, inland from the immediate coast.

Even the Sunshine State will get in on the very cold conditions. Temperatures are forecast to drop to near 5 degrees Friday night in Tallahassee with near freezing lows forecast for central Florida.

• A Look at Temperatures in Minnesota
• How cold will it get in Chicago?
• Join the Forum on the Invading Cold
• Cold forecast for New York City
• Warnings Pertaining to the Cold
• Jesse Compares the Cold Wave
• Bernie and Evan on Cold, Snow, Inauguration Weather

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The severe cold gripping the eastern two-thirds of the nation late this week into the weekend should ease by next Tuesday's Inauguration Day. Even so, those watching President-Elect Barack Obama get sworn into office will still want to wear winter coats.

The high of 18° that will shiver the nation's capital this Friday will not be repeated next Tuesday. Still, stubborn cold air will likely hold maximum temperatures Tuesday afternoon to 35°. The typical high temperature for Washington, D.C., on Jan. 20 is 42°.

AccuWeather.com meteorologists continue to monitor the timing, track and intensity of a potential clipper storm for early next week. An Alberta Clipper could whiten the ground the day or two prior to Inauguration Day.

• Latest Washington, D.C., Forecast
• More Detailed Analysis
• Henry discusses Pre-Inauguration Day Storm Potential
• A Peek at Inauguration Day

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Residents of the Pacific Northwest have been saying "Turn off the rain and snow!" in the wake of last week's serious flooding, which left many cleaning up water damage. That pattern with a never-ending train of Pacific storms finally ceased over the weekend with high pressure building over the West and pushing the storm track up into western Canada. The dry weather system will eventually back off the West Coast, allowing the intrusion of weaker storms, but not until the middle of next week. Therefore, residents of Oregon and Washington are certainly rejoicing over the dry spell which should last another week or so. The only negative to the high over the West is the gusty Santa Ana winds heating the region and drying Southern California.

Meanwhile, historic cold which resided over Alaska and western Canada for the last several weeks continues to be carried down into the central and eastern United States. The Tuesday morning reading of 40 below zero in International Falls, Minn., although not foreign to the natives, is nonetheless bone chilling! The frequent blasts of arctic air, each one preceded by a minor snowfall, will gradually ease over the Central states and Midwest with a noticeable moderation in temperature for the weekend and perhaps into Monday. In fact, it may get near the freezing mark in Milwaukee and Chicago! Think the college kids will be getting the frisbees out of the closet? It's not exactly going to become a January thaw, but instead a more typical period of winter weather with snow possible and cold outbreaks every few days, but none as severe as what is happening right now.

Unfortunately for people in the Northeast, furnaces will continue to work overtime right through the middle of next week as the discharge of one arctic air mass after another shifts in from the Midwest. Snow is possible, as well, with a continuing active weather pattern, and some snow-lovers that have felt left out this winter may very well reap the benefits. It's looking cold for Inauguration Day next Tuesday with a good possibility for snow on the ground in the capital! It wouldn't surprise me to see it snow at the time President-Elect Barack Obama is sworn into office. It all depends on the timing of the systems. Eventually, that thaw is coming for cold-weary Northeasterners, but it appears that it is going to take a few more weeks for that to happen.

By the way, the parched areas of the interior Southeast will get some chances for precipitation, but the current weather pattern really doesn't provide any drought relief as, more often than not, cool, dry air masses will continue to drop from the north through next week. Floridians got a pretty good soaker on Tuesday, but this may be the last chance for any significant rain for a while.

• Cold and Long Range Look
• Record Warmth in the West
• A Pattern of Extremes

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