Storm could bring foot of snow to Poconos, less to Lehigh Valley
The Lehigh Valley should escape the worst of the snow, but the Poconos could see up to a foot from the coastal storm that is scheduled to move in to the area beginning late Monday, forecasters say.
On Saturday, the weather service said the region could see 4-8 inches of snow after rain and a wintry mix begin Monday night and extend into Tuesday.
But the latest forecast has snow amounts lowered by several inches across most areas south of the Poconos and into northwestern New Jersey.
An updated winter storm watch for the region notes that “heavier snowfall will be dependent on elevation, with variable amounts possible between the higher terrain and valleys in this area.”
As a result, locations such as Allentown may see less than 4 inches of snow, according to the watch, which remains in effect from Monday evening through Tuesday afternoon.
The snow will be enough to make traffic difficult, with a potentially hazardous commutes Tuesday morning and evening.
Meanwhile, the Poconos is expected to see the worst of the storm. A separate winter storm watch for Carbon and Monroe counties is warning of 7-12 inches of snow.
Precipitation from the storm will start as rain in the Lehigh Valley late Monday before turning to snow as cold air gets pulled into the system, according to the weather service forecast discussion.
That transition will occur from northwest to southeast, first at the higher elevations, then eventually in the valleys and south of Interstate 78 by Tuesday morning, according to the forecast discussion.
Interstate 78 is shaping up to be a dividing line in the storm, with the weather service noting that north of the corridor, heavy, accumulating snow is expected, with snowfall rates in excess of an inch per hour possible.
Around Interstate 78, snowfall rates of a half-inch to inch per hour are briefly possible. That could have a “significant impact” on the Tuesday morning commute.