Heavy, Wet Snow Could Bring Down Tree Limbs in Northeast Mountains

A major storm is gearing up to strike the Northeast beginning late Thursday and lasting through Saturday. The weather maker is forecast to produce mostly rain; however, some of the higher elevations in the region are likely to pick up snow. Here is what you need to know if you live in the northeastern U.S.

Chilly and Wet Storm Pushing Into the Northeast

Forecasters are warning that widespread travel disruptions are likely in the coming days as a storm that is currently coming together over the central U.S. moves to the east. Although this is not expected to be a significant winter weather event, there will be enough cold air to send the flakes flying over the higher elevations of the region. A zone of low pressure near the surface will merge with a storm several miles higher in the atmosphere to produce the rain and wet snow.

A rain and snow mix at intermediate elevations is predicted to transition to wet snow over the higher terrain in a zone from eastern Tennessee and western North Carolina up into Maine. Most of the moisture will get its start as rain late Thursday before the energy taps into colder air on Friday.

The elevation will dictate what areas pick up significant snow accumulation. The higher elevations are expecting up to a few inches of snow by the time that the system wraps up. However, most of this snow will accumulate on grassy areas. The snow is likely to melt upon contact with the ground at the intermediate elevations, leaving most roads in acceptable conditions for driving.

The major cities of the Interstate 95 corridor will see garden-variety rain showers out of this storm. The moisture machine will kick up on Thursday afternoon in places such as New York City and persist through early Saturday.

Similar forecasts are the story for Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Boston. While the metro areas will avoid the snow this time around, the rain and low clouds will likely cause some flight disruptions beginning Thursday afternoon through Saturday morning. The timing of this rain and its intensity will vary greatly between locations.

Some of the more inland airports at intermediate elevations may need to deploy deicing operations, triggering potential delays. Fog could also be an issue at times. Travelers should check with their airlines for the latest flight status information.

Where to Expect Measurable Snow Accumulations

A few inches of wet snow is forecast to accumulate across some of the communities at higher elevations in the interior Northeast. This will also be the case for the mountains of West Virginia, the Poconos in Pennsylvania, and into the Adirondacks and the Green and White Mountains in New England.

The wet and heavy nature of this snow will raise the risk of sporadic power outages as tree limbs fall under this weight.

The latest forecast models signal that the storm will begin to move out to sea late Friday and into Saturday. This is the most likely time that the system will take on characteristics similar to a nor'easter, resulting in the chance of wet snow across portions of Massachusetts and Connecticut.  

Because this is not predicted to develop into a full-blown nor'easter, any coastal flooding threats will be relatively minor. In addition, this system will spend most of its time churning over land, limiting its ability to generate strong onshore winds and high tides. Astronomical tides will also be lower due to the moon being in the first quarter phase.

The greatest chance of slightly elevated tides will be in parts of New England when the storm reaches the coastline early in the weekend. The movement of the storm pushing out into the Atlantic could boost winds enough to send water away from some of the east-facing shorelines, translating to lower-than-normal water levels. Conversely, these same winds could also serve to push some water toward the west-facing shorelines of the region's back bays.

The coldest air of the season thus far is expected to come in behind this storm. When combined with the breezy conditions, it will feel like winter for a large swath of the Northeast and New England.

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