Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
A week after deadly Texas flooding, hope fades but resilience grows. Chevron right
Recovery teams, displaced residents in Texas face brutal heat. Chevron right

Columbus, OH

71°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

71°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Newsletters

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News / Weather Forecasts

Weather whiplash to mark first days of 2022 in Northeast

By Renee Duff, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

Published Dec 30, 2021 1:43 PM EDT | Updated Dec 31, 2021 7:37 PM EDT

Copied

The Times Square ball is getting 192 new crystals this year. The crystals this year represent the gift of wisdom.

Residents of the Northeast are in for a reality check shortly after the ball drops on a mild New Year's Eve. AccuWeather forecasters expect a soaking storm to arrive New Year's Day and unleash a dramatic temperature swing in its wake.

Old Man Winter has been rather kind to the region so far this season due to a lack of Arctic air intrusions and major snowstorms. Similar to a vast majority of the eastern two-thirds of the nation, above-normal warmth has dominated the final month of 2021 and has resulted in widespread snow droughts.

Temperatures have averaged 3-7 degrees above normal across the region this month, and cities such as New York City, Boston and Pittsburgh have received only 4-5 percent of their normal December snowfall.

It's only fitting that the mild weather will carry right through New Year's Eve celebrations.

A passing shower or sprinkle cannot be ruled out during the evening hours in New York City and Boston on New Year's Eve, but any heavy rain from a storm approaching from the west is expected to hold off until well after midnight, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.

Midnight temperatures are expected to be around 50 degrees Fahrenheit in New York City and 44 in Boston, with similar temperate conditions expected elsewhere across the region.

Steady, soaking rain is forecast to spread over the central Appalachians through much of the Northeast on Saturday and Saturday night. The same storm poised to bury areas from the southern Rockies to the Great Lakes and southeastern Canada with heavy snow during the first days of 2022 will be responsible for the rainy weather farther east.

"Those hitting the roads on New Year's Day may encounter travel delays due to pockets of heavy rain, patchy fog and wet roads," Sosnowski said. This includes areas such as Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City and Boston.

In portions of northern and western New York and New England, enough of a chill may linger in the air prior to and during the storm for a period of snow or an icy mix to create slippery road conditions Saturday night into early Sunday.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

A much broader area may be at risk for icy spots to develop as the storm begins its departure and colder air rushes in behind it, leading to a sudden freeze-up in some areas. Temperatures can plunge 20-25 degrees from Sunday to Monday across much of the East, with some areas nearing a 30-degree dip.

Temperatures on Sunday in Washington, D.C., Baltimore and Philadelphia may approach levels that haven't been reached on Jan. 2 since 1876, when record high temperatures in the upper 60s to lower 70s were set. But by early Monday morning, the mercury is projected to plummet into the lower 30s in all three cities.

The greatest risk for a rapid freeze-up to occur may be from portions of the upper Ohio Valley through the central and southern Appalachians from Sunday into Sunday night. There is the potential for a freeze-up to extend farther northeastward along the Interstate 95 corridor, but forecasters point toward a quicker departure of precipitation and gusty winds as being limiting factors for widespread icy spots to develop on untreated surfaces, despite a rapid temperature drop.

Motorists and pedestrians will still want to be cautious whenever they encounter what appears to be a wet patch on Sunday night or early Monday morning, as it could actually be a layer of ice, forecasters warn.

AccuWeather meteorologists are actively monitoring the potential for a trailing storm to develop and move through the Carolinas and lower mid-Atlantic on Sunday and Sunday night.

"If this storm develops, then there is a chance that cold air will catch up to the precipitation and produce some snow in the mid-Atlantic," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.

At this time, it appears any snow that falls will tend to be light with accumulations generally limited to grassy and non-paved surfaces from southern Virginia to southern Delaware.

As of Thursday afternoon, many details still need to be ironed out in the atmosphere for this scenario to unfold, but one thing is certain -- it's going to get cold. Winter jackets, hats and gloves that likely haven't been used for much of the winter will definitely get some more use in the days to come.

The cold shot will be fleeting, however, as milder weather could return as early as the middle of next week.

SEE ALSO:

10 astronomy events to get excited for in 2022
AccuWeather reporters reflect on their most memorable weather stories of 2021
How to ring in the new year in a better way for the planet
8 wild discoveries made possible by the weather in 2021

For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.

Report a Typo
Comments that don't add to the conversation may be automatically or manually removed by Facebook or AccuWeather. Profanity, personal attacks, and spam will not be tolerated.
Comments
Hide Comments

Weather News

Weather News

A week after deadly Texas flooding, hope fades but resilience grows

Jul. 10, 2025
Severe Weather

Rounds of severe storms to rattle, drench central US

Jul. 10, 2025
video

Abandoned cars submerged by severe flooding in North Carolina

Jul. 10, 2025
video

Before-and-after pictures show devastation caused by Texas floods

Jul. 9, 2025
Severe Weather

Severe weather to rumble in the central US through the holiday weekend

Jul. 6, 2025
Weather News

Record sargassum seaweed piles up on Caribbean islands, Gulf

Jul. 2, 2025
Weather News

Alabama teen in ICU after lightning strike hits boat, causing burns an...

Jul. 2, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Weather Forecasts

Texas Hill Country recovery, cleanup teams to face brutal July weather

16 hours ago

Weather News

State inspection before floods found Camp Mystic had emergency plan

21 hours ago

Weather News

Deadly flash flooding devastates wildfire-scarred New Mexico town

9 hours ago

Astronomy

1st full moon of summer to rise Thursday night

1 day ago

Weather News

Most Texas flood victims face devastation without flood insurance

19 hours ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Health

How can families handle new anxieties around summer camp?

15 hours ago

AccuWeather Ready

Floodwater rising in your house? Do this

2 days ago

Weather News

Orcas are bringing humans gifts of food – but why?

15 hours ago

Weather News

Earthquake swarm detected at Mount Rainier, biggest since 2009

20 hours ago

Weather News

The US has a plan to breed millions of flies and drop them from planes

15 hours ago

AccuWeather Weather Forecasts Weather whiplash to mark first days of 2022 in Northeast
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...