Storm expected to dump snow across Northeast

Some areas likely to get more than 8 inches

A fast-moving storm pushing through the eastern half of the country could bring big impacts to travel in the Northeast through Tuesday.

Widespread heavy snowfall was expected across northern Pennsylvania and southern New York late Monday, then in southern New England Tuesday morning, the Weather Prediction Center said late Sunday.

The probability of more than 8 inches of snow ranged from 70% to 90% along a swath along the Pennsylvania/ New York border and across most of Massachusetts, according to the prediction center.

“Boston seems like the major city impacted, with a slight chance closer to New York City,” said David Roth, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Maryland.

Winter storm advisories and warnings went into effect across Oklahoma, northern Arkansas, southern Missouri and northern Kentucky.

Areas across parts of the southern Appalachians and the southern midAtlantic faced a risk of excessive rainfall over Monday and into Tuesday with a chance for local flash flooding as the system moved through.

An intensifying nor’easter along the coast was forecast to cause “moderate coastal flooding” at high tide along the Jersey shore and portions of the New

England coast. Onshore winds could push the ocean up into inland rivers and increase the chances for some coastal flooding, Roth said.

The region has already seen at least two big coastal flood events this winter, as well as higher than normal tides over the weekend.

Fortunately, the system will move quickly, reducing the risks, Roth said:

“This doesn't have the hallmarks of a record event.”

The storms will bring enhanced rainfall because there's a lot of moisture aloft flowing up over Mexico and moisture moving into the region from the Gulf of Mexico, Roth said: “You're getting moisture from both oceans, at multiple levels, and that's why we're experiencing some flash flooding.”

Warmer than normal sea surface temperatures in the Pacific have been helping boost rainfall in systems coming off the Pacific this winter.

A woman walks a dog as a winter storm sweeps over the West on Saturday in Denver. Storms bringing heavy precipitation were forecast across much of the country on Monday.