Winter Storm Hercules Forecast: Snow, Strong Winds in the Northeast

By: By Jon Erdman

Published: January 2,2014

 

 

 

Winter Storm Hercules will continue to impact the Northeast with significant amounts of snow and strong winds as it sweeps through the region Thursday night into early Friday.

Latest Radar

• INTERACTIVE RADAR

(MORE: Minute-by-Minute Updates | Latest Storm Totals)
Over the last couple of days, the storm has been dumping snow on parts of the Midwest and Great Lakes, including the Chicagoland area where a foot or more of snow has been measured in some locations.
Below is the forecast of what you can expect to see from Hercules in the Northeast.

Hercules Northeast Snow, Wind Impacts

Thursday Night

Friday

Snowfall Totals Through Friday

Current Temperatures

Given widespread temperatures in the teens and 20s, this will be a relatively dry, powdery snow with an added "fluff factor" – meaning deeper snow accumulations than you'd see from a wetter, gloppier snow. Toward the later stages of this snow event, temperatures will plunge even further on Friday, possibly flirting with zero in areas away from the immediate coast.
(FORECAST: Boston | Albany, N.Y. | Buffalo)
The track of the surface low pressure center, in concert with high pressure over eastern Canada, will also put areas from the Jersey Shore to southern and eastern New England into a zone of strong north to northeast winds Thursday into early Friday. This will lead to significant blowing and drifting snow and poor visibility, particularly in outlying areas, as the powdery snow is blown about. For coastal southern New England and Long Island, blizzard or near-blizzard conditions may develop as winds approach or exceed 35 mph Thursday night into Friday.

Current Airport Delays

The National Weather Service has issued blizzard warnings for Long Island, the south shore of Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the coasts of northeast Massachusetts, New Hampshire and southern Maine.
(WINTER ALERTS: Northeast)
As a result of the blowing snow and very low temperatures, road-clearing efforts will be very difficult. Road salt and chemicals lose much of their effectiveness when temperatures drop into the single digits or lower.
As you can see in the map at right, the heaviest snow accumulations are expected roughly along the Interstate 90 corridor from New York into southern New England, where more than a foot of total snow is possible.
At least five inches of snow is expected along the heavily populated New York - Philadelphia corridor.
Farther south, lighter snowfall is expected across the rest of the Mid-Atlantic region, including Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Here too, blustery winds and falling temperatures will hamper road crews, but not to the same extent as areas farther north.
(FORECAST: NYC | Philly | Baltimore | Wash., D.C.)
This winter storm is expected to exit the East Coast by Friday afternoon. Expect major flight delays at the major Northeast hubs from late Thursday into early Friday, and challenging winter driving conditions from Thursday night into Friday.

(TRAVEL: Flight Status | Driving Difficulty Index)
In addition to the snow threat, there should be some coastal flooding at high tide for the east coast of New England due to strong onshore winds into Friday. Beach erosion and flooding of vulnerable coastal roads can be anticipated along with freezing spray from breaking waves.

Bottom Line

• Swath of heavier snowfall from western New York to much of southern New England with amounts locally exceeding one foot.
• Gusty winds and cold temperatures will lead to blowing and drifting snow, especially for the coastal Northeast, with blizzard conditions possible.
• Minor to moderate coastal flooding for the east coast of New England at high tide cycles midday Thursday, Thursday night, and midday Friday.

MORE: Winter Storm Hercules in Pictures

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Two-month-old Jack Hsi takes a nap sheltered in his baby carrier while snow falls in Boston, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014. Up to 14 inches of snow is forecast for the Boston area. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)