Powerful Northeast storm to usher in springlike warmth, heavy rain and wind before chill
A powerful storm will first raise temperatures with high winds and heavy rain that will lead to travel problems in the Northeast, before colder air and snow sweep in later for some areas late this week.
AccuWeather’s Anna Azallion breaks down your chances of a white Christmas across the U.S. for 2025.
The same storm responsible for recent flooding in the Northwest and high winds in the northern Rockies will swing into the Midwest and Northeast to round out the week. As it moves east, the system will bring a surge of gusty winds and warmer air that favors rain, followed by a quick drop in temperatures that could lead to snow and icy travel on its backside.
Temperatures ahead of the storm will reach their highest levels in weeks in much of the Ohio Valley and Northeast. This alone will cause some or all of the snow cover to melt. Highs in much of the region will range from the mid-30s F in northern Maine to the 40s and 50s over much of the Midwest and Northeast. Temperatures may reach the 60s in parts of the Ohio Valley, and the zone from southeastern Virginia to North Carolina at the peak.
Due to the recent cold waves, the air may seem much warmer than it actually is.
Due to the storm's strength, combined with a warm air surge, heavy to locally severe thunderstorms are forecast to develop in portions of the Mississippi and Ohio valleys.
Rain from the storm will fall in bursts of heavy, gusty downpours as it sweeps from the Midwest to the Northeast and parts of the Southeast.
Heavy rain falling on top of melting snow could lead to urban flooding, especially in areas where snow piles block storm drains.
The corridor of downpours will focus on the Interstate 95 mid-Atlantic zone during Thursday night, where motorists and airline passengers should expect substantial delays at that time.
Gusty winds associated with the storm can be strong enough to cause airline delays.
"Along much of the I-95 zone, some of the strongest wind gusts will occur late Thursday night to Friday morning rush hour, right as the storm's cold front swings through," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Dombek said. The most powerful gusts approaching hurricane force (74 mph) will occur earlier Thursday night in and just west of the Appalachians.
"Downed trees, branches and power outages could result at this time." Those with trash and recycling collection services on Friday may need to secure their items.
On the backside of the storm, it will be a race between the wind drying off roads and sidewalks versus leading to a quick freeze-up.
In parts of the Appalachians, mainly from West Virginia to Pennsylvania and upstate New York and northwestern New England, rain will mix with or change to accumulating snow late Thursday night and Friday. A brief period of lake-effect snow will shift from Michigan to the shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, as well as in the same Appalachian zones from West Virginia to upstate New York, from Friday to Friday night. It is in all these aforementioned areas where roads will become slippery.
Looking ahead, a weak clipper storm will run along the northern tier of the Plains, Midwest and Northeast this weekend with a period of snow that may be locally enhanced by lake effect.
The storm and its snow will bring a new round of slippery travel from North Dakota and northern Minnesota to Michigan, upstate New York and northern New England. People traveling for their holiday ventures may encounter delays.
Temperatures in much of the Northeast will be lowered to near or slightly below historical averages by Saturday, but they are not forecast to be nearly as extreme as some recent episodes of cold air. Highs on Saturday will range from near 30 in the northern tier to near 50 in southeastern Virginia.
AccuWeather meteorologists continue to look for ways for snow to fall around Christmas Eve and Christmas Day in the Midwest and Northeast. Yet another clipper storm is forecast to slice from west to east across the northern tier from Dec. 23 to Dec. 24. However, once again, snow may be limited to the northern tier.
Should that storm just prior to Christmas Day dip farther south, there is a chance that some snow or a wintry mix may extend more into portions of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, southeastern New York and southern New England by Christmas Eve. At this time, however, odds favor a period of rain instead of snow.
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