Frigid blast of weather headed to the Midwest and East bringing snow and an early taste of winter
It will feel more like Christmastime in certain regions, signaling a shift in weather patterns and the first snowfall of the season
>>Learn more about AccuWeather For Business
High-elevation snow and cold rain is coming in three different bursts over the coming days.
A major shift in the weather pattern will unfold this weekend and early next week across the central and eastern United States, bringing a surge of cold air and the potential for the first widespread snow of the season in some areas. AccuWeather meteorologists say one storm could produce a band of accumulating snow across parts of the Midwest, followed by lake-effect snow and even a touch of snow in portions of the Appalachians farther south.
Christmastime cold coming
"Temperatures will feel more like mid-December or even Christmastime in many places by next week," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.
Through the end of this week, cold air will struggle to gain a lasting foothold, and residents in the Midwest and Northeast can expect significant temperature swings from one day to the next. A couple of quick-moving storms will bring some snow to the northern tier of the Midwest and Northeast this week, with slippery travel mainly limited to the higher elevations of the Adirondacks and the Green and White Mountains.
However, conditions will change drastically this weekend as a large, sustained push of cold air sweeps across the Plains and Midwest, signaling the arrival of a winterlike pattern for much of the central and eastern U.S.
>> Learn more about AccuWeather’s Proven Superior AccuracyTM
Beginning this weekend, a significant dip in the jet stream is forecast for the Central and Eastern states.
“This will be the first taste of wintry weather for millions from this weekend to early next week, with a dramatic temperature drop and blustery winds," Pastelok said. "The surge of chilly air will also briefly reach parts of the Southeast.
With the cold air, comes the snow chances
With the cold air will come an increased chance of snow. The colder conditions will raise the potential for accumulating snow across parts of the Midwest and the Appalachians, including areas farther south and at lower elevations than usual. Some major metropolitan areas and heavily traveled highway corridors could pick up light accumulations, potentially creating slick roads and hazardous travel conditions early next week.
Typically, snow must fall at a heavy rate for it to accumulate on road surfaces at this time of year, especially during the daytime, as the pavement is still warm from the summer and early autumn. However, under the right conditions, slush may develop during the day, and as temperatures drop overnight, snow can accumulate on the roads at night.
Clipper storm to bring strip of snow
A storm is forecast to track along the boundary of the advancing cold air from this weekend in the Midwest to early next week in the Northeast.
Several hours of snow are possible in Marquette, Michigan, from Saturday evening into Monday, while a few wet snowflakes can mix in with rain Saturday into Saturday evening in Minneapolis.
"As we see it now, the most likely time for snow showers in Chicago that can bring a small accumulation is late Saturday night to Sunday morning," Pastelok said. "Around Detroit the most likely timing for accumulating snow showers is from Sunday morning to Sunday night." While an excessive accumulation of snow is not anticipated on the roads, the snow can fall at a heavy enough rate near the Interstate 94 and 80/90 corridor to make for slushy conditions in some areas.
As the storm pivots toward southeastern Canada, a period of drenching rain will sweep through the Northeast from this weekend into early next week. Heavy and gusty to locally severe thunderstorms may move through the Southeast Sunday, depending on how quickly the advancing cold air meets the buildup of warmth during the day.
"There may be a secondary storm that forms along the leading edge of the cold air in the East," Pastelok said. That could extend or bring a second round of rain later in the weekend to Monday.
>> Learn more about AccuWeather’s Proven Superior AccuracyTM
Such a storm could produce a swath of steady snow, extending from south to north, over the Appalachians. Regardless, a strong surge of cold air is expected to push southward and expand eastward, spilling over the Appalachians from later this weekend to early next week.
First widespread round of lake-effect snow, including snow squalls
The action of cold air passing over the warm waters of the Great Lakes will unleash lake-effect rain and wet snow. Where the bands of snow set up and linger, there can be several inches of accumulation and slippery travel from Sunday to Monday and perhaps into Tuesday off lakes Erie and Ontario.
Since the incoming cold air will initially contain some moisture, snow may be squeezed out across the mountains and valleys of the Appalachians from Sunday into Monday. A slushy accumulation is possible along the higher ridges, extending as far south as eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina and as far north as Maine and southern Quebec.
“Along with the bands of lake-effect snow is the potential for briefly heavy snow squalls in portions of Ohio, Pennsylvania, western and central New York and northern West Virginia on Monday,” AccuWeather Vice President of Forecast Operations Dan DePodwin said. “While most of the snow will melt quickly on area roads, the sudden drop in visibility and temporary slush can create dangerous conditions on the highways.”
Major multiple-vehicle pile-ups have occurred in the past under similar conditions.
In today’s Forecast Feed, AccuWeather’s Bernie Rayno takes a look at an upcoming stretch of December-like weather for the central and eastern United States.
>>Learn more about AccuWeather For Business
Cold air to dip into the Southern states
"Blustery winds will intensify the coming cold with the need for winter attire," Pastelok said.
The combination of temperature, cloud cover and other factors will cause AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures to plunge into the single digits, teens and 20s F from the northern Plains and Midwest to the Northeast and the southern Appalachians from Sunday into Monday. AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures along much of the Atlantic coast early next week will be in the 30s, 40s and 50s during the day.
"Most areas in Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri have only experienced brief periods of cold, with the lowest temperatures near or well above freezing so far this autumn," AccuWeather Storm Warning Meteorologist Tristan Irish said. "This is in sharp contrast to Sunday and Monday, where highs may only be in the 40s to 50s, with lows in the 20s."
Residents should take precautions to protect outdoor plumbing and un-winterized irrigation systems, Irish added. The cold will also bring an end to the growing season for areas that have yet to experience a hard freeze, stretching from parts of the central Plains to much of the Southeast.
"The coldest morning in the pattern for the Southeast will be Tuesday morning when lows in the 20s will be widespread over the interior with lows in the 30s just inland along the Carolina, Georgia, Florida and Louisiana coasts," Pastelok said.
"Temperatures will be low enough to produce widespread frost or a hard freeze across interior portions of the Southeast," Pastelok added.
The coldest air is forecast to exit the Southeast by the middle of next week and will ease up in the Midwest and Northeast as well. However, a clipper storm could bring another round of snow to portions of the Great Lakes and interior Northeast from Wednesday to Thursday.
The value of AccuWeather’s Snow Warning Service™
The value of AccuWeather's Snow Warning Service, with proven Superior Accuracy, can provide you with the most accurate forecasts and set you up to make the best decisions for your business. AccuWeather serves hundreds of businesses and has a 97% renewal rate.
Independent studies show that AccuWeather’s forecasts are significantly more accurate and more valuable than all other sources. Last winter, AccuWeather’s average error for start and end times for snow and ice was just 1½ hours compared to an average error of more than 3 hours from other sources.
Virtually eliminate the chance of being surprised by snow and ice and turn winter challenges into profitable opportunities. Start making the best decision for your business this winter. Consult one of our experts today.
Report a Typo
