NEW YORK – A winter storm moved into New England on Thursday afternoon after delivering a messy mixture of heavy snow, sleet and freezing rain within the Midwest and Northeast.
This widespread combined precipitation is predicted to filter of New England by Thursday night, leaving largely dry circumstances till a second, even stronger storm is predicted this weekend.
It’s the primary in a pair of high-impact winter storms which have thousands and thousands of individuals on alert as a result of widespread impacts. New York Metropolis and the encompassing Northeast area noticed a messy Thursday morning commute earlier than circumstances started to enhance.
The storm’s influence varies throughout the area. Whereas New York Metropolis primarily noticed sleet and a few snow, areas north and west, like New England and the Hudson Valley, may see a number of inches of snow.
Farther north, throughout northern New England, the snow will proceed by the day Thursday and should not even change over north of Interstate 90. If wherever goes to see greater than 6 inches of snow, it’ll be there, the FOX Forecast Heart stated.
“Definitely much more like what Punxsutawney Phil said. Six more weeks of winter,” FOX Climate Meteorologist Michael Estime reported from Central Park in New York Metropolis. “And boy, we are in the thick of it right now.”
The worst icing of the occasion occurred throughout parts of the Appalachians from western Pennsylvania by western Maryland, jap West Virginia and northwestern Virginia.
Ice Storm Warnings are in impact for as much as a quarter-inch to half-inch of ice accretion. The FOX Forecast Heart warns that scattered energy outages and tree harm are attainable from the burden of the ice.
However the excellent news is that, very like within the Midwest, heat air will now flood in, altering the snow to both freezing rain or plain rain.
Many colleges within the affected areas are both closed or working on a delayed schedule.
Farther south, freezing rain and even thunderstorms created extra challenges in elements of the Ohio Valley and central Appalachians.
As a result of instability related to the storm system, extreme climate and flooding struck parts of Kentucky and West Virginia on Thursday morning.
The freezing rain initially broke out Wednesday afternoon within the mid-Mississippi Valley earlier than spreading towards the Nice Lakes in a single day.
Whereas the freezing rain has resulted in these areas, temperatures stay at or under freezing, leaving the ice in place on Thursday morning.
Temperatures will rise above freezing by Thursday afternoon, ending the ice menace in cities like Chicago, Fort Wayne, Indiana, and Columbus and Cleveland in Ohio. Refreezing on the roads will likely be a priority Thursday night time, nonetheless.
The storm will rapidly exit New England by Thursday night, leaving primarily dry circumstances in its wake on Thursday night time and Friday.
Wanting forward, the Northeast isn’t anticipated to catch a break for lengthy.
The FOX Forecast Heart is already monitoring one other winter storm for the weekend, prompting considerations about additional journey disruptions and unsafe climate.
Second winter storm to influence identical areas this weekend
The FOX Forecast Heart stated a second, even stronger storm is predicted this weekend.
The storm can also be anticipated to convey freezing rain to almost the identical areas that had been impacted throughout this primary storm.
Nonetheless, the FOX Forecast Heart stated there can be one main distinction – this subsequent storm will pack way more snow.
Heavy snow is trying more and more probably on Saturday throughout the Higher Midwest and Nice Lakes area. Cities like Minneapolis, Milwaukee and Detroit may see their largest snowstorm to this point this winter.
That storm will attain the Northeast on Saturday night time and produce one other spherical of snow, sleet and freezing rain. The FOX Forecast Heart stated that, like this primary storm, Pennsylvania once more seems to be within the bull’s-eye for extremely impactful ice.
Rain is trying probably within the Ohio Valley and the Appalachians. Doubtlessly heavy rain will likely be most regarding within the central Appalachians, and a few flooding is feasible.