Snow could finally be on way to Northeast
After a wait of nearly two years, a major snowstorm could hit the major cities of the mid-Atlantic this weekend, though the forecast was far from certain.
According to AccuWeather, for many locations near the Interstate 95 corridor, it has been two winters since there was at least an inch of snow. This storm could change that.
But Weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce said Tuesday that “uncertainty remains high at this early stage given questions about the storm’s track and how much cold air will be available near the coast.”
Snow drought
Mid-Atlantic and Northeast cities have endured a notable snow drought the past few winters. The last time there was an inch of snow from a single storm in New York City was on Feb. 13, 2022, or 686 days ago.
In Washington, D.C., the most recent storm that brought 1 inch of snow was on Jan. 16, 2022, or 717 days ago, according to AccuWeather. For Baltimore, it has been 705 days since 1 inch of snow fell.
It’s not just the big cities that have seen a lack of snow: “As the snow drought continues along much of I-95 in the mid-Atlantic, snow has also been very lean across the central Appalachians, Great Lakes region and coastal New England,” said Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist.
Fuzzy forecast?
This many days away, with the ingredients of the storm not even over the U.S. yet, the computer models meteorologists use show a potent storm is likely, but the details of timing, track and amount of snow remained fuzzy.
“Snowfall forecasting is among the most challenging tasks meteorologists face,” Dolce said. “That’s because of several factors that can be uncertain days ahead of a potential storm’s arrival.”
Those factors include the amount of cold air available for snow to develop, which if absent can mean it rains instead along the coast.
Be aware – and be prepared
“For now, it’s best to just stay aware that a storm is likely this weekend and it could impact your plans because of rain, snow or a combination of both,” Dolce said.
AccuWeather advises that property owners may want to brush the dust off their snow shovels and snowblowers and have ice-melting compounds ready. “Highway departments and townships may also want to review their plan of action ahead of the storm,” Sosnowski said.
In addition, he said, “the lack of heavy snow over such a long period could have some motorists out of winter driving practice.” And for new drivers who have only recently earned their licenses, this could be their first experience driving in snow.
The storm also could affect some NFL football games on Sunday, including contests in Washington, D.C., New York and New England.