WeatherFanatics: Major Snowstorm May Affect the Northeast Thursday

Monday, December 30, 2013

Major Snowstorm May Affect the Northeast Thursday

By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist

December 30,2013; 9:40PM,EST

Two storms will converge on the Northeast on Thursday with the potential for a major snowstorm. How quickly they get together and strengthen will determine which areas are hit with very heavy snow and which areas will have a more manageable snowfall.
The storm could have a major negative impact on travel for people returning from holiday destinations, heading back to school or resuming business activities.
People should be prepared for flight delays and cancelations because of direct and indirect impacts from the far-reaching storm. Flights destined to and fromNew York City, Philadelphia and other airports may be held up due to deicing activities in the Midwest and in New England, even if the worst of the storm were to stay away.
While millions of people in New England are likely to be hit by a snowstorm, the question is will an additional 10 million people be struggling to dig out and get around in the storm's wake Friday, including New York City and Philadelphia.
The snowier of two scenarios would suggest that New England will be hit with a powerful nor'easter that produces blizzard conditions, damaging winds and coastal flooding.

Even if the two Thursday storms are slow to converge, they should still wrap enough moisture around to produce a snowstorm over New England.
According to AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson, "At the very least, enough snow to shovel and plow seems likely for much of New England during Thursday into Friday."
In part of central and northern New England the storms from this past Sunday night and the storm expected Thursday will overlap, with the potential for more than a foot of snow to be on the ground by late Friday.
It is too early to call for the mid-Atlantic.

"If the two storms merge and strengthen too far off the mid-Atlantic coast, only intermittent snow, flurries or perhaps even nothing may fall on the I-95 corridor from Philly to New York," Anderson stated.
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Even in areas as far south as Washington, D.C. and Richmond, the chance of snow is not zero if the storm strengthens quickly. Heavy snow could wrap around for a brief time.
In either case, the coldest air of the season so far will empty out of Canada in the wake of the storm.
According to Long Range Weather Expert Jack Boston, "If New York's Central Park fails to reach 20 degrees for a high temperature on Friday, it will be the first time this has occurred since Jan. 16, 2009."
In addition to the snowstorm in New England and the chance of accumulating snow in part of the I-95 mid-Atlantic, a swath of light to moderate snow will sweep from the Midwest to the central Appalachians during the middle of the week.

When combined with frigid temperatures, the snow will stick to the roads leading to slippery conditions and travel delays from Chicago to Indianapolis, Detroit, Cleveland and Pittsburgh.
Tune in to AccuWeather Live Mornings every weekday at 7 a.m. EST. We will be talking about the brutal Midwest cold and the potential snowstorm in the Northeast.