Accumulating snow to threaten slippery travel conditions from Michigan to New York
A winter storm will spread accumulating snow across a swath of the Midwest and Northeast by midweek.
AccuWeather meteorologists are tracking a storm that has already dropped accumulating snow across much of the northern Plains and is set to move through the Midwest and Northeast into Tuesday. Forecasters say the ongoing storm will not pack as much of a punch as its predecessor, which dropped over 10 inches of snow on the Midwest and Northeast but can still create enough wintry weather to cause travel problems.
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The first wave of snow broke out across the Dakotas early Sunday morning and went on to spread accumulating snow into Minnesota later in the day. Up to 11 inches of snow was reported just south of Bismarck, North Dakota, with 3-7 inches that blanketed the Minneapolis metro area.
Snow fell in the same states on Monday, with 12 inches of snow reported in Judson, North Dakota, and 8.5 inches reported in Lowville, Minnesota. Snow also fell across Michigan, with 7.3 inches falling in the city of Sands, and accumulation will move eastward into the late evening hours.
"From southeast Ontario into northern Pennsylvania, a narrow band of a few inches or more of snow is possible," Douty said. Snow is also likely to fall in a very short period of time, with very low visibilities and rates as high as one inch per hour in the most hard-hit spots, likely in the Northern Tier of Pennsylvania.
For places such as New York City, where a sizable snow deficit continues, the storm may briefly start as light rain or a mix, but quickly change over to snow late Monday night. Air temperatures near or slightly above freezing will limit much of the accumulation, though a slushy coating may still be in the cards nevertheless. Far fewer impacts are likely in the northern suburbs, where conditions may stay dry, while colder areas toward the west and southwest may pick up a slushy inch or two of snow by Tuesday morning.
"Motorists should expect a slow commute, especially those coming in from New Jersey and/or east-central Pennsylvania, including I-78," Sosnowski said.
Throughout the Northeast, there is likely to be an unusually tight gradient along the edges of this accumulating snow. In some cases, just a few miles may separate the difference between no accumulation and enough snow to shovel and plow. In cities such as Allentown and State College, Pennsylvania, the exact snow totals will depend on the precise north-to-south position of the band of snow.
The small storm will quickly move out to sea during the midday hours on Tuesday. Snow showers are likely to linger over the central Appalachians and in northern New England.
Unseasonably cold air will become entrenched across the North Central states and the northeastern tier of the United States in the wake of this storm. This may result in more opportunities for wintry weather as at least one large storm crosses the country later this week.
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