Sunday, January 25, 2015

Blizzard to Halt Travel in NYC, Boston Tuesday

By Brian Lada, Meteorologist
January 25,2015; 7:10PM,EST
 
 
An all-out blizzard will slam the New York City area and New England Monday night through Tuesday, bringing many communities to a standstill.
Those in the Northeast should prepare for the storm now rather than wait until the snow starts to fall, especially for those across New England.
While a clipper system will spread disruptive snow from the Midwest to the mid-Atlantic through Monday, it will explode into a monster snowstorm and blizzard Monday night through Tuesday.
The heavily-populated zone from New York City to Boston to Portland, Maine, will be brought to a standstill with impacts lingering well after the blizzard departs.

Jump to: Arrival of the Snow | Snowfall Totals | Greatest Impacts |

Arrival of the Snow

Before intensifying into a major winter storm, this system will spread disruptive snow across the lower Midwest and into the mid-Atlantic through Sunday night.
Travel disruptions due to the snow should be anticipated as early as the Monday morning commute around Philadelphia and New York City, but the worse will come Monday night through Tuesday.
Once the clipper reaches the waters off the Northeast and turns northward, it will rapidly intensify Monday night with blizzard conditions developing from the central New Jersey coast to southern New England.

The blizzard will then continue to expand northward through Tuesday with conditions rapidly deteriorating along its path.
Fortunately for those planning to attend the send-off rally for the New England Patriots on Monday in Boston, the blizzard should hold off until after the rally comes to an end.

Snowfall Totals

This could turn out to be the biggest storm of the winter for many areas in the Northeast and could rank among the greatest snowstorms in some communities.
Between one and two feet of snow is forecast to fall in New York City and Albany, New York; Hartford, New Haven and Stamford, Connecticut; Providence, Rhode Island; Boston, Worcester, Springfield and New Bedford, Massachusetts; Manchester, Concord and Portsmouth, New Hampshire; and Portland, Augusta and Bangor, Maine.
Snow amounts will even exceed two feet from north of New York City to central Massachusetts.
Strong winds howling during the storm will cause severe blowing and drifting with drifts in some communities measuring around 5 feet. Roofs may fail under the weight of such drifts.

Residents across the region who rely on snow blowers for snow removal should make sure that they are ready to move the plethora of snow that this powerful storm drops.
People using shovels to clear the snow should take their time and take frequent breaks while shoveling to reduce the risk of heart-related injuries and fatalities.

Greatest Impacts

Impacts from the powerful storm will be felt all across the Northeast and into portions of Canada, but the worst of the storm is expected to focus on the area from New York City to Boston to Portland, Maine.
The blizzard will unload heavy snow and winds howling past 35 mph. The combination of the snow and wind will dramatically lower visibility down to zero. Wind gusts on Cape Cod can occasionally gust up to near hurricane-force during the worst of the storm early Tuesday morning.
RELATED:
AccuWeather.com Winter Weather Center
Northeast Interactive Radar
Check AccuWeather.com MinuteCast® for Your Location
These strong winds blowing off the ocean can cause coastal flooding with the worst flooding occurring from late on Monday night into Tuesday evening.
Travel conditions will quickly deteriorate across the area as the heavy snow moves in, making travel nearly impossible for a time.
During the peak of the storm, travel will be halted.
Motorists traveling at the height of the storm run the risk of becoming stranded as visibility drops to zero and roads rapidly become clogged and snow-packed. Flight cancellations will rapidly mount on Tuesday with airports likely forced to close for a time on Tuesday from New York City northward.
Travelers are strongly urged to consider altering plans ahead of the storm.

Airlines, including American, Southwest, US Airways and Delta have already waived change fees for customers in anticipation of this week's blizzard.



  AirlineGeeks.com @AirlineGeeks
Every major US airline except Frontier has issued a travel waiver for the northeast. See your carrier's site for details.

 
If you must drive during the storm, you should take supplies with you, such as water, food and blankets, in the event that you become stuck on the road in the snow.
Travel delays associated with this storm will not be limited to the Northeast.
Ripple-effect delays are possible elsewhere in the nation if airplanes and crews are displaced due to the storm.
Even after the worst of the storm has passed, travel hazards will linger into the second half of the week. Roadways may still be difficult to navigate as it can take crews days to clear some roads of snow. The lingering effects from Tuesday's flight cancellations could continue to snarl air travel for a few days.
Power outages can also occur due to the strong winds and heavy snow expected closer to the coast.

Snow-covered roads can make power outages last for long periods of time as it will take utility vehicles longer to reach the source of the outage and correct the problem.
Conditions will improve by Wednesday, allowing crews to begin the clean-up process in the wake of the storm.
Snow-free conditions should not be expected to last for too long; however, as a quick-moving clipper could deliver some fresh powder to the Northeast as early as Thursday.
AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski contributed to the content of this story.




Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)