The Northeast is bracing for what could be a significant winter storm, as the first snowfall predictions have now been released. According to the projections, there is a chance of up to six inches of snow accumulation in a wide region.
A significant amount of snow is expected to cover several areas from the southern Appalachians to the mid-Atlantic coast on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 19. The snowfall will continue into central and southeastern New England on Sunday evening to early Monday, Jan. 20, coinciding with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. The coating of snow could range from a few inches to several inches in some locations.
According to AccuWeather, there is a risk of snow-covered and slippery roads from parts of Interstate 77 in North Carolina to I-95 in New England for the latter part of the weekend. This includes the metro areas of Washington, DC, Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston. Even if only a small amount of snow accumulates, significant delays can be expected.
The areas highlighted in the darker shade of blue in the image above are expected to receive several inches to up to a half-foot of snowfall. On the other hand, the areas in the lighter shade can anticipate an accumulation of 1 to 3 inches.
Skies are expected to clear up at the end of the workweek on Friday, January 17th. Temperatures will also rise slightly, with highs reaching the upper 30s.
The sky will become cloudy overnight, signaling the arrival of mostly cloudy conditions throughout the day. This weather pattern sets the stage for a potential snow system that could affect parts of the Northeast and Midwest on Saturday night, January 18th. (Refer to the second image above for more detailed information.)
The day will begin with a mix of sun and clouds, but as the storm system progresses from the south to the north, cloud cover will increase.