Storm to bring snow from Georgia to North Carolina, then graze Northeast
A fast-moving storm late this weekend may bring slippery snow to parts of the Southeast and coastal Northeast, while many major cities have little accumulation, but possible travel and airport impacts.
In today’s Forecast Feed, Geoff Cornish takes a look at the arctic air moving in this weekend and what impacts people in the Southeast and Northeast can expect to see.
A quick-moving storm developing along an Arctic cold front later this weekend will deliver light snow and slippery travel from winter-sensitive parts of the Southeast into portions of New England. A significant snowstorm is not expected, but snowflakes could occur as far south as Alabama and northern Florida.
"Winter weather can have major travel impacts in the Southeast because the region has fewer plow trucks, salt supplies and treatment resources than northern states," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said.
Snow to blanket Southeast
Near the Gulf Coast late Saturday night, temperatures are not expected to fall quickly enough for snow to stick to roads. Farther northeast, from parts of Georgia to southeastern Virginia on Sunday, the strengthening storm could bring several hours of steady snow and slippery travel.
From southwestern Georgia through part of Delaware, a coating to 1 inch of snow is forecast, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 3 inches on Sunday. Road conditions will range from wet to slushy or snow covered, with the latter where a brief period of heavy snow occurs.
"Even where roads look wet, temperatures dropping below freezing can turn those surfaces icy, creating dangerous driving conditions with little warning," Pydynowski said. "Drivers should slow down and use extra caution, especially on bridges and overpasses, which tend to freeze first because cold air flows above and below the roadway.”
Farther northwest, including Atlanta, dry air will limit or prevent snowfall. However, patches of snow in the Charlotte area may lead to a light coating. A coating to an inch of snow is forecast in the Raleigh, North Carolina, area, as well as Columbia, South Carolina; Macon, Georgia; and Richmond, Norfolk and Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Storm to strengthen near Northeast coast
Farther north, the storm’s track and strength, along with how much moisture is available, will determine how much snow accumulates.
AccuWeather meteorologists expect little to no accumulation in Philadelphia, with a coating to 1 inch in New York City. Enough snow may fall to require aircraft deicing on Sunday from Philadelphia through New York City and Boston. From right along the Atlantic coasts of Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey through central and eastern Long Island, southeastern Massachusetts and Downeast Maine, up to a few inches of snow may fall.
Snow is expected to spread northward through the mid-Atlantic on Sunday, reaching the southern New England coast later in the afternoon or evening.
The bulk of the snow in New England will fall on Sunday night and is likely to lead to airline delays and possibly flight cancellations.
The coastal storm in the Northeast will follow a clipper system from the Midwest early this weekend, which will bring accumulating snow from the southern Appalachians in Tennessee and North Carolina to Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and New England.
Up to a few inches of snow are expected in the Appalachians. A light, slippery coating of snow may reach Philadelphia and New York City on Saturday, especially in the northern and western suburbs.
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