Freeze-Up Risk Follows Northeast, Mid-Atlantic Snow

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

February 22,2015; 11:05PM,EST

 

 

As fresh brutal cold replaces the snowstorm that started the weekend, the Northeast and mid-Atlantic face a freeze-up threat Sunday night.
Much of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic on Sunday welcomed a break from the harsh cold that has dominated much of the month. The same can be said for the southern Appalachians.
Temperatures climbed to or above freezing in many areas, allowing the recent snow to start melting. However, this is not a trend for the last week of February.
Residents should use Sunday to clear driveways, sidewalks and storm drains of any snow or slush with another blast of arctic air on the horizon.

"When the arctic air arrives, untreated roads, sidewalks, overpasses and bridges will have the opportunity to freeze up," stated AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Tyler Roys.
Any wet or slushy areas will quickly turn icy as temperatures plunge. Bridges and overpasses would be the first to freeze.
Even if snow or slush has been removed from roads or sidewalks, runoff from melting snow can keep some surfaces wet and susceptible to black ice.
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"The danger of [black ice forming] will be during the evening for the Northeast when the arctic front comes through," continued Roys. This includes in Portland, Maine; Boston; Albany and Poughkeepsie, New York; State College and Scranton, Pennsylvania; and Charleston, West Virginia.
For New York City and Philadelphia, the freeze-up risk will begin around midnight EST.
"But for the southern mid-Atlantic, it will be more later at night," Roys added. That would put Baltimore and Washington, D.C., at risk.

"There could be problems lingering into the Monday morning hours since temperatures will keep falling after sunrise," stated Roys. "In the Northeast, temperatures can fall enough that road salt treatments may become ineffective."
The forecast highs posted for Monday across the majority of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic will occur early in the day. Temperatures will then fall or hold steady.
Brisk winds will create even colder AccuWeather.com RealFeel® temperatures. As the winds calm at night, numerous record lows will be challenged.