Northeastern US to dodge blockbuster snow, ice storm set to slam southern US

While a storm with heavy snow and ice immobilizes part of the South, dry air is expected to win the battle in the northeastern United States early this week.

AccuWeather meteorologists expect the blockbuster snowstorm to slide eastward across North Carolina and southern Virginia and not make the northward crawl along the Atlantic coast.

“This is not the type of storm where snow will continue to advance northward into the upper part of the mid-Atlantic and New England states,” according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brian Wimer.

“Rather, a westerly flow of dry air across much of the Northeastern states will limit the northward advance of the snow,” Wimer said.

While snow can coat southern Maryland and may get close to Washington, D.C., to end the weekend, the heaviest snow will stay farther south, generally in western North Carolina, southern West Virginia and southern Virginia.

People venturing southward along Interstate 81 and even I-95 should consider an alternate means of heading south or postpone their trip to avoid the heavy snow and ice area. Roads may be blocked and power may be out for days in some communities in that region.

Download the free AccuWeather app to see where snow might affect your travels if heading south into early week and how cold the weather will be closer to home.

Extended break from storms on the way

"Meanwhile, in much of the Upper Midwest and northeastern United States, a stretch of dry weather is in store through Wednesday," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson.

An area of high pressure is forecast to stretch from the northern Plains to New England and crawl eastward.

This weather system, combined with a storm over northeastern Canada, will keep the dry air in place while the big Southern snow and ice storm passes by and out to sea.

Much of this swath could certainly stand a stretch of dry weather, but it will be cold.

The far-reaching dry weather will allow more people to get out and find a Christmas tree, put up decorations, shop, travel in the region and enjoy some great skiing weather.

The main exception to the dry weather will be across portions of New York and western New England on Tuesday and Tuesday night, when snow showers and heavier squalls could sweep through. This includes around Buffalo, New York.

Temperatures from Minneapolis and Chicago to Philadelphia, New York City and Boston can expect temperatures to average 5-10 degrees Fahrenheit below normal.

This means that highs will range from the 20s across the northern tier to near 40 across the Ohio Valley and the upper part of the mid-Atlantic. Nighttime lows will range from the teens across the northern tier to the 20s in St. Louis and within a few degrees of 30 around Washington, D.C.

The prolonged dry stretch may come to an end late in the week, as the next storm system brews in the South.

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