Snowstorm to eye northeastern US coast for start of spring

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist

March 16,2016; 10:55PM,EDT

 

 

Colder air will return to the northeastern United States by this weekend and will set the stage for snow showers in some locations and a brush with a snowstorm in others.
"We cannot rule out a track that would make it snow in some of the Northeast I-95 cities from Sunday to Monday," according to AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams.
Spring officially starts on Sunday, March 20, hours before the storm is set to arrive.
Colder air, snow showers to move in first
"Even in the absence of a storm over the interior, flurries could produce the first snowflakes in two weeks or more for parts of southern New England and the mid-Atlantic region," according to AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok.
By Friday, gusty winds will usher in the chilliest air since early March. AccuWeather RealFeel® temperatures will be in the 20s and 30s over much of the region.
Since the air aloft will be much colder than near the ground, gusty showers of rain, ice pellets and wet snowflakes will develop on Friday near the mid-Atlantic and New England coasts.

Farther inland, over the Appalachians and lower Great Lakes region, mostly frozen precipitation, snow and ice, will fall from the sky on Friday. Grassy surfaces could even be covered in some of the higher elevations.
The showers of rain and snow will diminish Friday night.
RELATED:
Late-March frost could spoil early-spring planting attempts in eastern US
US spring forecast: March snow to threaten Northeast
St. Patrick's Day: Rain may dampen festivities in NYC, Chicago and New Orleans
In the wake of the chaotic atmospheric conditions from Friday, much of the Northeast can expect a dry and chilly day on Saturday. Snow showers may redevelop over northern New England.
Highs this weekend will be no higher than the 20s in northern New England to the 30s in the central Appalachians and the 40s along much of the mid-Atlantic coast.
Snow chances will rely on the storm track
Attention will turn to a storm, which will have its roots with heavy rain in the Deep South late this week. The storm will track eastward along the Gulf coast with drenching rain that could aggravate flooding problems.
Once the storm reaches the Atlantic coast, it will turn northeastward. How quickly the storm strengthens will determine how close to the coast the storm tracks. The storm track will determine where rain and accumulating snow reaches part of the Northeast.

The most likely scenario, at this point, is for the storm to swing far enough to the east, preventing heavy snow from falling very far north and west of the Interstate-95 corridor in the mid-Atlantic to southern New England.
Even with a storm remaining relatively weak and tracking a bit offshore, some rain and wet snow combination could graze coastal areas from Virginia to Massachusetts.
As the storm begins to turn the corner on Sunday, a cold rain will fall in southern and eastern areas of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and New Jersey. The rain could change to wet snow in part of this area.
The potential wet snow area will graze the swath from Washington, D.C., to Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York City.
A jog farther west by 50-100 miles would not only imply a stronger storm with significant wind, rough seas and coastal flooding problems, but also the potential for heavy snow from portions of I-95 to part of the Appalachians.
Rain, wet snow and increasing winds are expected in eastern Long Island and southeastern Massachusetts Sunday night. Snow could brush areas from Hartford, Connecticut, and Providence, Rhode Island, to Boston and Portland, Maine.
The storm is likely to strengthen enough to make a turn toward Canada's Maritime Provinces, where high winds, heavy rain and blizzard conditions may unfold on Monday. The storm may brush Down East Maine as well.
AccuWeather will continue to provide updates on the storm potential, including the chance of snow, any wind and coastal flooding concerns.
Another round of snow showers will arrive across the northeast U.S. as a fresh dose of cold air invades the region on Monday.
Milder air will progress eastward in the U.S. at a quick pace during the middle of next week and thus reduce the chance of more snow.