Easter Weekend Storm to Unload Rain and Snow in Midwest, Northeast

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist

March 31,2015; 8:05PM,EDT

 

 

Following a late-week surge in warmth in the Midwest and Northeast, a storm will accompany a press of chilly air during part of the Easter Weekend with rain and even accumulating wet snow in some locations.
The storm will cause some travel problems and hinder outdoor activities due to wet conditions, slushy areas and poor visibility.
Just as colder air begins to slice into the Northeast, a storm will track from the Ohio Valley to New England spanning Friday night into Saturday. The exact track of the storm and how quickly temperatures drop will determine where the swath of snow sets up and the amount of accumulation possible.

Temperatures will plunge 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit from their peak on Thursday and Friday over much of the Midwest and Northeast. Highs on Saturday are projected to range from the 30s around Buffalo, New York, to the 40s in Boston and the 50s in Washington, D.C.
While the air is unlikely to ever get cold enough for snow with the storm along much of the Interstate-95 corridor and south of I-70 in the Ohio Valley, portions of I-80, I-90, I-81, and New York's Southern Tier Expressway and Thruway could get slushy and slippery in some locations.
RELATED:
California to Turn Rainy, Northeast to Warm Up by Mid-April
Pothole Repairs Cost Northeastern Cities Millions Following Unrelenting Winter
Spring Allergies: Quick-Hitting, Intense Season in Store for East
Accumulating snow is possible across parts of northern Indiana, Ohio, upstate New York, northern New England and neighboring Canada. Part of this zone could receive a few inches of snow during the first part of the weekend.
Where the snow falls during the nighttime and early morning hours, the snow could make some roads slushy and slippery, especially in locations that do not receive direct sunlight.
A change from rain to a wintry mix or wet snow is possible from portions of West Virginia to parts of northern and western Pennsylvania, central New York state and part of central New England. In these areas, accumulating snow is most likely to be limited to the higher elevations and grassy areas in the valleys.
While most roads in the snow area of New England, Ontario and Quebec will be wet during the midday and afternoon hours on Saturday, low visibility could cause some difficulties for motorists and flights at secondary airports.
Even where rain falls, some airline delays at the major airports in the Northeast can occur for a time due to downpours, low cloud ceilings and patchy fog.
How quickly the storm moves along will determine whether or not clearing takes place in parts of the Northeast during the day Saturday. Sunshine is likely to break through over parts of the Midwest as the day progresses.
Temperatures will recover a bit on Easter Sunday, where the sun manages to stay out. While the sun is forecast to shine on part of the I-95 mid-Atlantic corridor, clouds and spotty showers will affect areas farther west around Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Detroit and Chicago. Some flurries could fly during part of the day on upstate New York and parts of New England.
A second patch of snow and mixed precipitation may develop Sunday night into Monday over parts of the mid-Atlantic and lower Great Lakes.
AccuWeather.com and the AccuWeather Network will provide updates over the next few days as the track of the storm and change to colder weather becomes more definitive.