Christmas Day storm to develop into travel-snarling nor'easter in New England

<META http-equiv="refresh" content="1;URL=https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/photos-northeastern-us-residents-treated-to-a-white-christmas/70003647">

You will be directed to a photo story of the white Christmas that unfolded across the northeastern United States momentarily.

<hr>

A strengthening coastal storm will continue to bring snow and blizzard conditions to New England on Christmas Day.

A storm which brought snow to the Midwest on Christmas Eve and a storm along the Atlantic coast converged on the northeastern United States just in time for Christmas.

Snow will continue to spread across New England through Christmas Day.

Highways that are likely to be the most affected by the storm on Christmas Day include Interstate 87, I-89, I-90, I-91, I-93, and I-95. Expect delays due to slippery runways and deicing operations at Boston and Portland, Maine.

The combination of the wind and snow will create blizzard conditions, even after the snow has come to an end. The dramatically reduced visibility will make travel extremely difficult, if not impossible.

Across central and northern New England, a substantial snowstorm will unfold that may hinder travel to church services and visits by distant friends and relatives on Christmas Day.

Cities that have the potential to receive 6 inches of snow or more from the storm include Worcester, Massachusetts; Rutland, Vermont; Concord, New Hampshire; and Bangor, Maine.

Enough snow to cause slippery travel is also expected in Portland, Maine, and Boston. Plummeting temperatures around Boston on Monday morning can also cause any wet roads and sidewalks to turn icy. Bridges and overpasses would be the first to become slick.

From the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario shorelines to the Northeast Atlantic coastlines, winds will be whipping behind this storm.

"Wind gusts at times could reach 50 mph on Monday," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Bill Deger.

"Winds of this magnitude are enough to cause sporadic power outages while families are gathered for holiday festivities," Deger added.

The westerly wind behind the storm will also push enough cold air across the warm Great Lakes to bring substantial lake-effect snow, especially downwind of lakes Erie and Ontario. This set-up looks to continue into the middle of the week, dumping multiple feet of snow in down-wind locations.

Arctic air will press in behind the storm and will cause temperatures to fall during Christmas Day. Any surfaces that became wet may freeze. Temperatures during much of next week will be below average.

There is the potential for a substantial snowstorm to hit the Northeast prior to the end of the year. AccuWeather will continue to provide updates on the storms and blasts of arctic air on the way into the new year.

Report a Typo