Midweek clipper, weekend storm keep active winter pattern alive in the East
Even as the harshest cold begins to fade from the Northeast this week, AccuWeather forecasters warn that the stormy pattern is not quite finished.
Drone footage shows large ice floes covering sections of the Hudson River in New York City on Feb. 9 after weeks of freezing temperatures. Ferries continued operating through ice-broken channels.
In the eastern United States, this winter season has felt relentless in recent weeks with impactful storms and unyielding, dangerous cold bringing repeated disruptions to the region.
This week, the pattern started dry across much of the Northeast and Southeast as high pressure dominated the region. By midweek, a clipper-type storm is expected to impact areas from the Great Lakes to New England as conditions trend slightly warmer for some. However, attention may soon turn to a larger-scale storm that could take shape for much of the East this weekend.
For several weeks, AccuWeather long-range meteorologists have been monitoring the potential for another winter storm to develop across the eastern U.S. around the second week of February, including Valentine’s Day weekend. While there are still several factors that will determine the storm’s eventual intensity and track, the setup bears watching.
Midweek clipper
Into midweek, forecasters are monitoring a developing feature that could bring a mix of wintry weather to parts of the Great Lakes and Northeast.
Most locations impacted by the colder, northern flank of this storm can receive between 1-3 inches of snow into midweek. In the higher ground, particularly the Adirondacks into the Green and White Mountains of New England and in Maine, amounts can range from 3-6 inches, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 10 inches.
Travelers should stay weather-aware as snow spreads across the region, particularly those heading along portions of interstates 81, 87, 91 and 93 in parts of New England.
As this storm sweeps through the Northeast, it will help to pull a warmer air mass north across the region and provide residents with a welcome break after the bitter cold over the weekend.
Many locations will have maximum temperatures creeping into the 40s Wednesday, which can feel downright warm after AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures ranged as low as 30-40 degrees below with the windy conditions Saturday.
Over the coming days, the harshest Arctic cold will gradually retreat north, providing a much-needed reprieve for residents and easing strain on the energy grid. Prolonged cold earlier this season drove up heating demands, leaving many households with higher-than-average electricity bills.
Valentine's Day storm potential
Into the weekend, a storm is expected to set up across the eastern U.S. that could bring a variety of weather hazards depending on the path it travels.
"Another storm later in the week can be more southerly tracking and has the potential to bring snow, or a rain and snow mix, to the southern Appalachians and potentially into Virginia and North Carolina," added Douty.
A few scenarios are at play later this week, ranging from a primarily southerly track that introduces more of a solidified risk of flooding and even severe thunderstorms along the Gulf Coast states and Southeast, to a northerly track that means more snow and ice for the Midwest and Northeast.
Even if the storm’s track varies, rain and thunderstorms developing across the South could raise flooding concerns as deep Gulf moisture feeds into the system. Ongoing drought conditions from Texas to the Carolinas, including pockets of extreme drought, mean rainfall would be welcome, but dry soils may increase the risk for rapid runoff.
As the system takes shape in the days ahead, forecast details will continue to come into focus. Stay with AccuWeather.com for the latest updates on the potential Valentine’s Day storm and its impacts.
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