Dangerous snow squalls to reach I-95 zone from DC to Philly, NYC
Snow showers and dangerous snow squalls will create sudden hazards on the roads for Thursday morning’s rush as the leading edge of Arctic air charges toward Interstate 95 in the mid-Atlantic and southwestern New England.
A multivehicle accident during a snow squall on I-90 in Erie County, Pennsylvania, caused traffic to back up for miles.
As multiple snow squalls accompany plunging temperatures from the Upper Midwest to the Appalachians, they have a high potential of triggering multiple vehicle pileups into Thursday. Some squall activity will reach the Interstate 95 zone in the northeastern United States, AccuWeather meteorologists warn.
Along I-95, from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York City, the Thursday morning commute will be prone to squalls.
From the lower Hudson Valley of New York to portions of Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, steady snow from a Canada clipper storm during the overnight hours to Thursday morning has coated some roads. Snow squalls will sweep through portions of New England this afternoon and can bring a quick accumulation as well.
Drenching rain or spotty rain showers will precede the arrival of an Arctic cold front. "Along that front and immediately behind it is where and when the snow showers and heavier snow squalls can occur," AccuWeather Meteorologist Alyssa Glenny said.
Snow squalls are the winter equivalent of summertime torrential showers and thunderstorms. The most intense squalls, triggered by a rapidly cooling upper atmosphere, can have strong wind gusts, thunder and even lightning.
As seen in this file photo, portions of both the Pennsylvania Turnpike and Interstate 78 were shut down several years ago in snowy eastern Pennsylvania after chain-reaction pileups involved dozens of vehicles on slippery roads. (AP Photo/David C. Ronk)
Snow squalls are notorious for bringing sudden drops in visibility. Motorists may be cruising along dry roads with a clear horizon then in the next minute struggling to see while slipping and sliding in a wall of snow. The pressure to drive fast on major highways in heavy traffic adds to the risk of deadly accidents, sometimes initiated by sudden braking as visibility plunges.
Motorists should avoid distractions while driving, be well aware of rapidly changing weather conditions, and keep abreast of snow squall warnings issued by the National Weather Service.
In some cases, taking secondary roads where speed limits are lower or avoiding travel during snow squall situations may be better options.
"Along I-95, on Thursday morning and midday, rain showers will transition to snow showers. In most cases, the snow showers will bring just wet roads. However, a sudden drop in visibility will occur, and that alone can boost the risk of accidents. In some cases, a heavy snow squall will pass through a portion of the I-95 zone, which can briefly make bridges, overpasses and elevated surface slushy in a matter of minutes," Glenny explained.
In the worst-case scenario, a very heavy snow squall could even make roads slippery over a mile-or-two stretch of highway. The more intense snow squalls will be progressively more likely north and west of I-95, such as in the suburbs and rural areas.
Multiple snow squalls are forecast over the Appalachians to the Great Lakes region, with worsening travel conditions from southeast to northwest in this zone. Some roads in the Appalachians and Great Lakes may close due to excessive snowfall or where brief snow squalls moved through and triggered multiple-vehicle pileups.
Around the time of the snow shower and squalls, winds will howl in the region with the strongest gusts over 50 mph and an AccWeather Local StormMax™ gust of 75 mph most likely from Thursday morning to Thursday afternoon.
At this intensity, large tree limbs may break, sporadic power outages are possible and loose items such as trash cans and holiday decorations may become airborne projectiles, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist John Feerick said.
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