Weekend snow, ice storm snarling travel from Midwest to Northeast
More disruptive winter storms packing snow and ice are on deck for the central and northeastern United States this weekend as the February frenzy continues.
Many states across the North got several inches of snow to start the weekend with more on the way for some.
There's yet another winter storm underway. This one, centered on the weekend, will end up dumping accumulating snow in at least 20 states east of the Rockies. AccuWeather meteorologists warn there is also a winter storm that bears watching for the southern and eastern coasts of the United States next week.
"Storms have been on a fast track across the U.S. since the start of the month, and the next one on deck will be no exception," AccuWeather Senior Director of Forecast Operations Dan DePodwin said. "Most storms have been crossing the country in three days."
Weekend snowstorm to reach a peak in the Northeast
As people had time to enjoy the snow on sleds and skis and crews cleaned up the highways and airports from the Upper Midwest to the Northeast from the most recent storm from Thursday to Friday, a new wintry onslaught was already underway for much of the same area this weekend. The moisture from this weekend's storm brought inches of rain and feet of mountain snow to California on Thursday.
The storm has regrouped after getting tossed around by the Rockies on Friday and will quickly grab moisture from the Gulf and the Atlantic this weekend as it races along.
Snow began on Friday over portions of the northern and central Plains then spread quickly eastward across the rest of the Upper Midwest on Friday night and Saturday morning. The Northeast will experience the bulk of the storm into Sunday night.
A broad area where 3-6 inches of snow will fall is forecast for the storm, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said. Cities expected to pick up enough snow to shovel and plow include Chicago; Detroit; Cleveland; Buffalo and Albany, New York; Burlington, Vermont; Boston and Worcester, Massachusetts; Manchester, New Hampshire; and Portland and Augusta, Maine.
Direct airline delays are anticipated in these locations due to deicing operations. Ripple-effect flight cancelations will be possible across the entire U.S.
This storm will differ just a bit from the Wednesday to Thursday storm in the Midwest since it will track a bit farther south. That means some snow will fall and accumulate along Interstate 70 in the Midwest and portions of western Pennsylvania, as well as along much of I-80 in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
In the Northeast, a sharp gradation in snow accumulation is likely as cold air will put up a fight.
The big snowfall ramp-up zone is most likely to be across central New York and central New England, with 1 to locally 3 inches in northern Pennsylvania, Hartford, Connecticut and just north of New York City, to 6-12 inches of snow along I-90 in New York and 12-18 inches in the northern portions of Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. It is in northern New England and adjacent areas of Canada where the AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 30 inches is most likely to be approached.
"The storm will evolve into what the weather community refers to as a bomb cyclone," AccuWeather meteorologist Tom Kines said.
A bomb cyclone is a storm that strengthens so rapidly that the central barometric pressure plummets 0.71 of an inch (24 millibars) in 24 hours or less. Winds tend to ramp up significantly as the storm strengthens as the air tries to rush in toward the center.
The storm will bring another heavy dose of snow to the heavily populated zones of southeastern Canada, including Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, and Quebec City.
"Many of these Canadian metro areas have been in a snow drought for most of the winter and it has not been until the last week or so when the big snowstorms have arrived," Kines said.
A wintry mix that is forecast to change to rain at the height of the storm will extend along and south of I-84 and 86 in New York and the Connecticut and Massachusetts Turnpikes in New England. However, this may not occur until a substantial amount of freezing rain has adhered to trees and powerlines.
The weight of the ice (and snow) can be enough to trigger regional power outages over a portion of the Catskills, the Hudson Valley, the Berkshires and the Connecticut River Valley. In addition, there can be gusty winds behind the storm that can lead to more widespread power outages over a wider area from New England south to northern Florida through Tuesday.
All or mostly rain is forecast for Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. The combination of rain and melting snow can lead to flooding in poor drainage areas.
From the central Appalachians to the Ohio Valley, there is concern that enough rain may fall with a period of mild air to trigger ice jams and flooding along some streams and secondary rivers, AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham stated earlier this week. That remains a concern with this upcoming storm.
The same storm will continue to bring dangerous severe thunderstorms, some with tornadoes, as well as a widespread risk of flooding for the South-Central states.
Wintry trouble brewing from the Plains to the Atlantic coast next week
AccuWeather meteorologists are continuing to watch how atmospheric conditions will stack up for a storm next week. The storm will form as a press of Arctic air advances from the Plains to the Atlantic coast.
"A storm will be moving along and ahead of that Arctic boundary, and depending on its track and intensity, it can bring heavy snow from parts of the central Plains to the mid-Atlantic and New England," DePodwin said.
Should all the right pieces fall into place, this could be the biggest snowstorm of the winter for portions of the central and southern Plains and the mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
"It has the potential to evolve into a strong nor'easter--something we haven't seen much of this season," DePodwin warned.
The storm, slated for the middle of this week, should be the caboose in the long train that began around the start of the month.
Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.
Report a Typo
