Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Multiple Winter Storms to Cross US Through Christmas

By , Expert Senior Meteorologist
December 16,2014; 8:10PM,EST
 
 
As many as three storms with snow, ice, rain and thunderstorms may affect areas from the South Central states to the Northeast through the weekend and after Christmas.
Mother Nature will provide a stormy weather pattern over the next couple of weeks.
While details including timing, track and exact precipitation type for the storms have yet to be determined, the storms will bring enough precipitation to slow travel as they move along.
In a press release by the American Automobile Association (AAA), 98.6 million people are expected to travel 50 miles or more during the period spanning Dec. 23 to Jan. 4.
This represents an increase of 4 percent from last year and the highest travel volume on record, since 2001, according to AAA. Lower gas prices are contributing to more disposable income and money for travel.
According to AccuWeather.com Long-Range Expert Paul Pastelok, "The storms will develop in the Southern states and then track northeastward. How far north the storms track into the cold air will determine the extent of snow."
Round One: Snow, Wintry Mix This Weekend
A storm is due to affect much of California at midweek with another round of drenching rain and mountain snow.

After crossing the southern Rockies, that California storm will reorganize near the upper Texas coast on Friday. Rain and thunderstorms will break out over central and southeastern Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
RELATED:
AccuWeather Travel Center
AccuWeather Winter Weather Center
White Christmas Forecast: Best Odds for Interior Northeast, Midwest and Rockies

Depending upon how much moisture is thrown northward into colder air will determine the amount of snow and ice that develops from the southern and central Plains late in the week to the middle Mississippi and Ohio valleys during the first part of the weekend.
The storm has the potential to impact holiday shoppers in parts of the Midwest and South on what could be the biggest shopping day and weekend of the year. According to Bloomberg, with Saturday this year occurring five days before Christmas it has the potential to surpass retails sales from Black Friday.

During Saturday night, the storm will swing across the Ohio Valley, central Appalachians and Southeast states, before aiming for the Northeast on Sunday.
How much the storm strengthens will determine how heavy the snow becomes across the interior and how far north and west warm air with rain advances from the ocean.

A wintry mix changing to rain scenario is likely for areas from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia and New York City and Boston. In this scenario, a period of light to moderate snow would still occur over parts of the Ohio Valley and central Appalachians from Indianapolis and Cincinnati to Pittsburgh.
The storm may still strengthen enough to produce a pocket of heavy snow over part of interior central and northern New England on Sunday.
Round Two: Storm Near Christmas
Another storm is projected to take shape over the South Central states or perhaps the Gulf of Mexico a couple of days before Christmas.
This storm would then track northeastward around the holiday itself and has the potential to be strong and rather disruptive in terms of travel.

The track and details on this potential storm are unclear, since the storm is a week away from forming and its seeds are still over the Pacific Ocean.
Round Three: Storm Potential Prior to New Year
A third storm may try to take shape during the time from shortly after Christmas to before the New Year holiday.
According to Long-Range Expert Mark Paquette, "While not all of these storms will be a snow threat for the major travel hubs in the Midwest and Northeast, there does not have to be arctic air in place for them to bring at least some snow and ice problems."
While the storm track from the Pacific Ocean will shift north of much of California before Christmas, one storm after another will hit the Northwest with coastal rain and inland and mountain snow.
Despite the stormy pattern, there will be periods between the storms across the nation when travel conditions will improve.
AccuWeather.com will have more information and details on the storms and weather conditions for holiday travel in the coming days.
There is an indication that the stormy pattern will continue to amplify as colder air becomes more extensive moving forward into the first part of the new year, Pastelok and Paquette agreed.

On Social Media
NWS Western Region
NWSWestern
Active storm track across wrn US again this week. Beneficial rain and mtn snow with much less impact than last week. pic.twitter.com/I7qIDg2Gzm
Andrew Pritchard
skydrama
Looks like a couple of potential winter storms in the next 10-14 days, and perhaps a white Christmas here in central IL. #ILwx #snow
Matt Noyes
MattNoyesNECN
Early to say rain or snow on both of the upcoming storms Sunday and Christmas eve day
17h
 

No comments:

Post a Comment