A fast-moving snowstorm brings accumulating snow & a wintry mix to New England today. Expect slick travel, snow-covered roads, and a quick burst of snowfall before mixing in and around the MA Pike by early afternoon. Blustery winds Friday (40 mph gusts), followed by a stronger storm Saturday night into Sunday with higher snowfall totals for parts of the region.
A winter storm is moving through the Great Lakes and Northeast today, bringing a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain. The heaviest snowfall, generally 2 to 5 inches, will accumulate across New England, with light accumulations extending across the Great Lakes and northern Mid-Atlantic. Meanwhile, freezing rain is the primary concern from the central Appalachians into parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and southern New York, where up to a quarter-inch of ice could create hazardous travel and power outages. Strong winds will develop in the storm’s wake, with gusts over 40 mph expected in the Great Lakes and Northeast by Friday.
In the West, a new storm system is making landfall along the California coast, bringing heavy rain to coastal areas and snow to the Sierra Nevada and northern Rockies. Snowfall totals of 1 to 2 feet are likely at higher elevations, while valley areas will see moderate rain. As this system moves eastward, it will bring snow to the Northern Plains and Upper Midwest by late Friday into Saturday.
Meanwhile, much of the southern U.S. remains warm, with record-breaking high temperatures likely across parts of Texas, the Southeast, and the Mid-Atlantic. Highs in the 70s and 80s will stretch from Arizona to the Carolinas, providing a sharp contrast to the frigid conditions in the northern tier, where temperatures will remain well below freezing.
Looking ahead, another winter storm is set to develop over the central U.S. this weekend, bringing a fresh round of heavy snow from the Plains to the Northeast by Sunday.
A fast-moving winter storm will impact the Northeast today, bringing a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain. Snow will overspread the region this morning, with a burst of moderate to heavy snowfall expected for a few hours before transitioning to a wintry mix. Areas along and north of the I-90 corridor, including upstate New York and much of interior New England, will remain mostly snow, with 2 to 5 inches expected. Meanwhile, warmer air moving in aloft will change the snow to sleet and freezing rain across southern New England and the Mid-Atlantic, where ice accumulations of up to a tenth of an inch could create hazardous travel conditions.
By this evening, precipitation will taper off, but lingering freezing drizzle may continue in parts of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. As the storm exits, strong westerly winds will develop across the region, gusting 30 to 45 mph on Friday. In addition to blowing and drifting snow, these winds may produce lake-effect snow bands downwind of Lake Ontario, with locally heavy accumulations in western and central New York.
The region will see a brief lull in the action on Saturday before another winter storm arrives Saturday night into Sunday. This next system is tracking slightly farther south, meaning more widespread snow across the Northeast. Current forecasts suggest a plowable snowfall for much of New York and New England, with a mix of snow and sleet possible closer to the coast.
Behind this system, cold air will settle in early next week, reinforcing the winter pattern across the region. Stay tuned for updates as the weekend storm develops.
