Winter Storm Jonas Buries Baltimore, New York City and D.C. Area With More Than 2 Feet of Snow

January 23,2016



 
Snow totals have topped 30 inches in at least four states as Winter Storm Jonas continues to hammer parts of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions with near-blizzard conditions, record coastal flooding, and winds over 70 mph in some coastal areas. Snowfall rates of 1 to 3 inches per hour have been observed from the Washington, D.C. area to New York City. The combination of strong winds and heavy snow will continue to create life-threatening whiteout conditions for anyone attempting to travel on Saturday.
Winter Storm Jonas is the largest snowstorm on record for Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Baltimore and JFK Airport in New York City, with all of those locations receiving over 2 feet of snow. Blizzard warnings remain in effect into Saturday night for more than 35 million people as snow continues to pile up from northern Virginia to Cape Cod, including Washington D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York City.
(MORE: Latest Snow, Ice Reports | Interstate Travel Forecast | One of All-Time Great Storms?)

Radar and Current Winds

As of 9 p.m. Saturday, the top snowfall total from Jonas so far is 40 inches near Glengary, West Virginia. Totals exceeding 30 inches have been reported in several other areas of West Virginia as well as south-central Pennsylvania, northern Virginia and central and western Maryland.
An extensive area of one-foot or greater snowfall has occurred from parts of northern Tennessee and eastern Kentucky to the mountains of North Carolina to New York's Long Island. Four of the "Big Five" Northeast cities – Washington, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York – have topped the one-foot mark; only Boston has not, and it likely won't.
Extreme winds have been observed along the mid-Atlantic coast, with a peak gust of 85 mph at Assateague Island, Maryland, at 4:40 a.m. EST. Lewes, Delaware, has seen a top wind gust of 73 mph with sustained winds peaking at 59 mph.
(MORE: Threat of Thundersnow Continues)

Current Radar

(MORE: What is a Blizzard?)

In addition to blizzard or near-blizzard conditions through the day on Saturday, strong winds will lead to power outages while moderate to major coastal flooding impacts the coasts of New Jersey and Delaware at times of high tide. Moderate coastal flooding is expected as far north as the southern New England coast and as far south as the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

On Saturday morning, the water level at Lewes, Delaware, rose to 9.27 feet, due to a storm surge of more than 4 feet above normal astronomical tides. This is the highest level on record at that location, beating 9.20 feet during the infamous Ash Wednesday nor'easter on March 6, 1962. Record flooding has also been observed in at least three New Jersey locations (Great Channel at Stone Harbor, Cape May Harbor, Delaware Bay at Cape May). Major impacts have been reported from the flooding from southern New Jersey into Delaware. 

(INTERACTIVE: Winter Alerts/Radar)

Winter Storm Jonas Alerts

Let's start with the impacts from Jonas, then we'll detail the forecast timing.

Snow and Ice Impacts

• Snow: Snowfall rates of up to 1 inch per hour (locally heavier) will continue Saturday night across the I-95 corridor from Virginia to Massachusetts and points east. Snow will quickly come to an end in most areas around or shortly after midnight. Keep in mind that this will add to what's already fallen, which in some cases is already near all-time records.
• Ice: No additional heavy ice amounts are forecast. 

Additional Snowfall Forecast

Other Impacts

Strong winds are expected north of the low pressure center over parts of the Mid-Atlantic through much of Saturday. These will likely cause power outages and sporadic damage.
Those winds will also raise the threat of coastal flooding during both high tides Saturday along the Atlantic coast from Long Island Sound to the Delmarva Peninsula.
(INTERACTIVE: Coastal Flood/Marine Alerts)
For more on the threat of coastal flooding and strong winds, see our full story on the forecast for high winds and coastal flooding from Winter Storm Jonas.

Winter Storm Jonas: Timing

• Saturday night: Heavy snow near the Mid-Atlantic coast as well as New York City, Long Island and coastal southern New England. Precipitation may change to snow as far south as parts of South Carolina as cold air dives south in the wake of the coastal low. Rain changes to snow near the Mid-Atlantic coast. Strong, locally damaging winds from the Delmarva Peninsula to Cape Cod, along with areas of thundersnow.

Saturday Night's Forecast

• Sunday: All of the precipitation associated with Winter Storm Jonas should move off the Atlantic coast before sunrise Sunday, leaving clearing skies for the day. Temperatures in most of the affected areas should climb at least a few degrees above freezing, allowing the cleanup to begin.

Sunday's Forecast

(FORECAST: Roanoke, Virginia | Greensboro, North Carolina)

Winter Storm Jonas Photos