Snowy Start to the Year on Tap for Much of Northern and Eastern U.S.

Snow is already coming down in some parts of the northern U.S. with more of the way in the days ahead. While some places will escape with just a dusting, other communities will pick up snowfall accumulations measured in feet. Here is a look at what to expect as the new year kicks off.

Multiple Snow Events in Store for the Northern and Eastern U.S.

An influx of Arctic air from the north is fueling the development of wintry precipitation in a zone from the Great Lakes and to the Ohio Valley and the southern portion of the Appalachians. Meanwhile, a classic lake-effect snow event will develop in the Upper Midwest and into the interior Northeast. Lastly, a third storm system will send the flakes flying for parts of the Midwest and the central Appalachians by the end of the week.

It was a soggy end to the year for the Ohio Valley and up into southern portions of New England. A far-reaching storm system dumped meaningful rain across the region. The moisture remained falling as rain for most of the area thanks to warmer temperatures. However, the colder air diving down from Canada will now set the stage for the precipitation to fall as snow.

The arrival of the cold air passing over the warm waters of the Great Lakes will trigger the lake-effect snow machine. The snow bands are forecast to set in either a northwest to southeast direction or from west to east depending on the timing and location.

Forecasters are warning that the snow will be heavy enough at times to potentially force the closure of some roads. As with most lake-effect events, conditions will vary greatly across short distances. While some areas will see light flurries, nearby communities will be dealing with near-blizzard conditions at times.

The lake-effect snow initially paired with the tail end of the storm system that pushed through the eastern U.S. on New Year's Eve. The warmer temperatures still in place kept the snowfall accumulations light. However, the onset of the colder air by the end of the week will translate to heavier bands of lake-effect snow through the weekend.

The greatest degree of snow is expected for an area east and southeast of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, including parts of northeastern Ohio and up into northwestern Pennsylvania and the western edge of New York. This zone should brace for snowfall accumulations of 12 to 24 inches.

Places such as Syracuse are forecast to see light rain changing to snow showers on Wednesday afternoon. It will be a windy day with winds out of the west-southwest at 15 to 25 mph and highs that top out in the low 40s before the cold air arrives with a vengeance. The overnight forecast is calling for snowfall of about 1 to 3 inches with another 1 to 3 inches in store for Thursday. Winds will remain at speeds of 20 to 30 mph, increasing the threat of blowing snow. The mercury will hover in the mid 30s for a high before slipping into the mid 20s after the sun goes down.

Northern and western portions of Michigan will also be under the gun for heavy snow. This area is forecast to see the snow eclipse the 12-inch mark with locally higher amounts possible.

The line of lake-effect snow will dip as far south as the central Appalachians, hitting parts of south-central Pennsylvania, western Maryland, and over into northern West Virginia through Thursday. Motorists will want to exercise caution if heading out in this part of the region.

Alberta Clipper Storm Also Bearing Down

In addition to the lake-effect snow machine, meteorologists are also keeping an eye on an emerging Alberta clipper storm that is pushing through the northern Rockies to start the year. Several inches of snow are possible despite this storm moving at a fast clip. While the northern Rockies will see the impacts on Wednesday, it will be parts of the Midwest in store for the accumulation on Thursday.

By Friday, the snow is forecast to reach the central and southern Appalachians. The moisture will be mostly wrapped up by this point, resulting in accumulations of just 1 to 3 inches by the time that it reaches the eastern part of the U.S. The exception will be across the mountains of West Virginia where several inches are possible.

The snow produced by the weak clipper storm will likely move to the south of Chicago and Detroit, sparing these large metro areas. However, cities such as Des Moines, St. Louis, and Louisville could see a bit of the white stuff. For example, a slight chance of snow flurries on Thursday.

The Appalachians will pick up the bulk of the snow out of this weather maker. But there could be a few flurries that sneak into parts of Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and the northern tier of North Carolina to bring the work week to a close. The coastal area of the region may see some rain mixed in with the light snow.

Looking ahead, a massive cross-country storm is predicted to send snow and ice across a swath of nearly 1,500 miles of land starting this weekend. The impact zone will expand from the Plains states and over to the Atlantic coastline. Stay tuned for more details on this developing situation.

Did you find this content useful? Feel free to bookmark or to post to your timeline for reference later.