Weekend Storm Will Deliver Variety of Impacts to Central and Eastern U.S.

The parade of winter storms across nearly all areas to the east of the Rockies is chugging along, threatening to ruin weekend plans for millions of Americans. While we have been keeping you posted on these developments this week, here is the most updated forecast heading into the weekend.

New Storm Coming Together on Friday

Much of the region that is still recovering from the midweek winter weather event is once again bracing for impact by Mother Nature. The weekend storm is forecast to come together beginning late Friday. The National Weather Service (NWS) has already issued winter storm alerts for portions of the Northern Plains and the Northeast in advance of the far-reaching system.

A surge of colder air in place when compared to the event a few days ago will mean that more areas will pick up measurable snowfall. The snow will be quick-hitting in nature with the bulk of it falling during a 12-hour period.

The latest models indicate that the storm will begin to show its cards on Friday in the Nothern Plains. For instance, Bismarck, North Dakota will start to see the flakes fly during the afternoon. You can expect about an inch of accumulation during the day with another 1 to 3 inches expected in the evening and overnight hours. It will be another frigid day in this part of the region with a high of about 12 degrees and lows that bottom out about the zero-degree barrier.

The snow will expand into the Upper Midwest as the day progresses. Although Minneapolis will start the day Friday with dry weather, the snow bands will pick up in intensity overnight and into Sunday. The Twin Cities is expecting 3 to 5 inches of fresh snowfall overnight Friday with another 1 to 3 inches on tap for Saturday. Highs will max out in the low 20s on both days with overnight lows expected to slip to 15 degrees overnight Friday and all the way down to negative 6 degrees on Saturday night.

Winds will pick up speed on Saturday in Minneapolis, hitting 10 to 15 mph. While the sun will make an appearance on Sunday, the temperatures will remain on the frigid side with a high of just 17 degrees. This reading is a harbinger of things to come with bitterly cold temperatures in store for the new week.

Saturday's Forecast Calls for More Wintry Precipitation for the Midwest and the Northeast

Widespread areas of snow, sleet, and freezing rain will push to the east into the Northeast on Saturday. By Sunday, this line of wintry moisture will reach New England before finally wrapping up. Forecasters are predicting that the weekend storm will generate more snow than its predecessor earlier in the weekend.

Widespread snow totals of over 5 inches are likely across the Northeast. Some other areas of the Upper Midwest could see in excess of 5 inches by the time the system tracks to the east. Accumulations over a foot could be a possibility across portions of upstate New York, the Hudson Valley, and the southeastern corner of New England.

Icy conditions are also back in the forecast in a zone from the Ohio Valley and into the Appalachians and the mid-Atlantic on Saturday. This ice will once again present the threat of dicey road conditions, damage to trees, and power outages. Ice accumulations of at least 0.25 of an inch are likely in the hardest-hit areas. The tree limbs that were compromised during the early week event will be the most susceptible to breaking.

State College, Pennsylvania will be in the bullseye of the potential ice. The college town is forecast to see a mix of rain, sleet, and snow develop on Saturday afternoon. Highs will hover at about the freezing mark before falling into the mid 20s after the sun goes down. The highest risk of ice will come in the overnight hours Saturday and into Sunday.

Wilmington, Delaware should also prepare for wintry conditions by the time Saturday rolls around. This coastal city is anticipating about an inch of snow during the day along with the possibility of sleet and freezing rain. The temperatures will hover in the mid 30s for a high before slipping into the upper 20s overnight. The threat of significant icing will be the highest in the overnight hours and into early Sunday.

Wet Conditions to the South

The moisture will fall as rain in areas farther to the south as unseasonable warmth circulates across the south-central U.S. and into the Southeast. For instance, Nashville will see a high of 74 degrees on Saturday with the chance of rain increasing in the afternoon. The mercury will take a nosedive through the overnight hours and into Sunday. The temperatures will top out with a high in the mid 40s in Nashville to bring the weekend to a close.

Washington, D.C. will be on the border between the wintry precipitation and the rain. The nation's capital is forecast to see the mercury plummet from a high that hits the low 50s on Friday to readings that struggle to climb out of the mid 30s on Saturday. This will translate to a higher threat of the rain transitioning to sleet or freezing rain. Residents and tourists will want to pay close attention to this forecast.

Central Appalachia will likely escape the wintry impacts and see straight rain on Saturday. Cities in West Virginia, including Morgantown and Charleston, are both forecast to see periods of rain throughout the day and night. Highs will bounce around in the 50s in this part of the region.

Next Week's Forecast Calling for More of the Same

Looking ahead to next week, forecasters are keeping tabs on the likely development of two more winter storm systems. The first round will target the Plains through the Northeast late Monday and into early Wednesday.

This particular weather maker is offering a significant change of meaningful snow to the populated cities of the Interstate 95 corridor, including New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. For example, the early forecast models demonstrate that the Big Apple could see up to eight inches of snow throughout the day and night on Tuesday.

The second storm is expected to strike late Tuesday and linger through Thursday in a zone from the Colorado Front Range and over into the middle portions of the Mississippi Valley, the Ohio Valley, and the northeastern U.S.

Stay tuned as we continue to provide updates about the upcoming week of active weather.

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