Wintry Weather Bearing Down on the Northeast to End the Week

Winter is back on the docket for parts of the northeastern U.S. as a late-week storm is gearing up to push into the region. Read on for the details of this weather maker that is set to impact millions of Americans in the days ahead.

New Winter Storm on Deck for the Northeast

It has been a volatile first half to the month of March for most of the nation. This trend is not changing this week as more storms churn through the country. While the Northeast is enjoying warm temperatures and calm conditions to start this week, the yo-yo pattern will continue when a wintry storm whips through the region beginning Thursday.

The latest forecast models indicate that a storm will form over the mid-Atlantic on Thursday, bringing a renewed shot of snow to eastern New York and northern and central New England by Friday. The rest of the Northeast will see rain showers with the chance of snow mixing into the precipitation by the end of the storm event.

While this weather pattern may seem like an intense roller coaster, it is important to remember that this is the time of the year when these types of varied conditions should be expected. March is distinguished as being a transition month of weather with a little of everything on the table.

This same storm system will be responsible for the threat of severe weather in the central U.S. on Wednesday. The energy and moisture associated with this storm will then push out the warmth in the eastern U.S. and replace it with cooler temperatures and the chance of widespread moisture.

As the major storm of the week moves from the central U.S. to the east, a secondary system is forecast to come together in the Southeast. The birth of this second system will result in the threat of severe thunderstorms for the coastal Carolinas and up the mid-Atlantic coast on Thursday. Right on time, these storms will ignite on the first day of the astronomical spring on March 20.

The arrival of the stormy conditions will work to trim the temperatures in the eastern U.S. The storm system will be able to tap into the cold air coming in along with it to generate the likelihood of measurable snow for some parts of the Northeast.

Where to Expect the Highest Snowfall Totals

How far the snow spreads will be influenced by how well the energy of the system is able to produce cold air. It often takes time for storms moving into areas of warmth to create this cold air right away.

The northern reaches of New England are forecast to see the snow fall well into the lower valleys. However, the rest of the region will see the snow limited to the higher elevations. The snowfall could dip as far south as eastern New York and the northeastern corner of Pennsylvania, accumulating at levels at or above 1,500 feet. The highest chance of snow will be late Thursday and into Friday.

For example, places such as Utica, New York are forecast to see snow develop overnight Thursday and into Friday. After a high in the mid 60s during the day Thursday, the arrival of snow and overnight lows that dip down into the upper 20s will feel like quite the change. The onset of the cold front will also whip up the winds in this region on Friday. Utica is forecast to see winds west-northwest at 15 to 25 mph at this time.