New England battling mix of wind, rain, sleet, heavy snow
BOSTON — It may officially be spring, but New England is battling a wintry weather combination across the region Saturday with more than a foot of snow expected in ski country, and rain, wind and possible flooding in southern areas and along the coast.
In Maine, the National Weather Service warned of a treacherous travel day with an increase in ice forming inland from the coast, on top of snow or sleet that has already fallen.
Farther inland forecasters are calling for anywhere from 1 to 2 feet of snow across the mountains in western Maine and areas north and in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, according to Maura Casey, a lead forecaster for the weather service, based out of Gray Maine.
In the lakes region of New Hampshire up to Maine totals are expected to be somewhat lower at 6 inches up to a foot with sleet and freezing rain mixing in.
“There’s a pretty steep cut off with lower amounts near the coast and higher amounts in the mountains,” Ms. Casey said.
Across Connecticut, New York City, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts the storm is expected to remain largely a rain event, with some freezing precipitation in the earlier part of the day in western and central
Massachusetts before turning to all rain.
Heavy rain was expected in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
“Overnight dry weather will give way to sunshine,” said Frank Nocera, lead forecaster for the National Weather Service in Norton, Mass. Despite the sun, Sunday is expected to be blustery with temperatures chillier than averagefor late March, he said.
Fans of skiing welcomed the snowfall.
At Loon Mountain, a ski resort in New Hampshire’s White Mountains, skiers were looking forward to the between 12 and 20 inches of new snow the storm was expected to drop on top of a foot earlier this week.
“The storm is great. It’s brought a lot of skiers out to the mountain today,” said Kevin Bell, vice president of marketing for the resort. “This could be the biggest snow we’ll see all year. It sets us up for a really good spring. The more snow New England gets, the better for us.”
The Mount Washington Avalanche Center issued an avalanche warning along the White Mountain’s Presidential Range until 7 a.m. Sunday.
“Very dangerous avalanche conditions exist. Natural and human-triggered avalanches large enough to bury people are very likely,” the center said. “Some avalanches will be large enough to snap trees or destroy a house and may run far into areas previously consideredsafe.”
The storm should be completely out of the New England region by Sunday morning.
There is a threat of flooding across the region including in far southern New Hampshire where morning snow and sleet could clog storm drains for this afternoon’sheavier rainfall, according tothe weather service.
The rain could also produce flooded rivers in Rhode Island and southeast Massachusetts. The weather service has also issued flood watches across the tristate area of Connecticut, New Jersey and New York, including thecity’s five boroughs.
InNew York City a flood watch and wind advisory were in place until 2 a.m. Sunday, according to forecasters. The weather service warned motorists of slippery roadconditions.
Flooding impacted subway service, shutting down a section of the Staten Island Railway in both directions Saturday. Flooding also closed part of the Cross Island Parkway in Queens and delayed the opening of Coney Island’s Luna Park, home to the famousCyclone and Thunderbolt rollercoasters.
Widespread minor urban flooding and scattered flash flooding was predicted with possible wind gusts of 45 to 50 mph. A winter storm warning was in place north of Albany, with more than a foot of snow expected over the Lake George region, the southern Adirondack Mountains and the southernGreen Mountains.