Two rounds of snow to take a swipe at northeastern US this weekend

Parts of the Northeastern United States are set to experience two snowstorms this weekend, despite temperatures significantly higher than in recent weeks.

The first storm is expected to move southeast from Ontario through the region Friday night into Saturday. This clipper-style storm will be driven by a blast of cold air.

Speedboat storms moving in this way tend to produce patches of stable snow rather than uniform bands of snow. AccuWeather meteorologists have outlined an area where snowfall amounts of up to a few inches are possible during the first half of the weekend.

Snowfall amounts of up to several inches will extend from upstate New York around Lake Ontario to western Massachusetts, through New York’s Hudson Valley and into the New York City area, as well as the northeastern corner of Pennsylvania, northern New Jersey and western Connecticut. Motorists in the area may have to deal with slippery traffic. Airline passengers may experience delays at secondary hubs due to de-icing operations.

There will be snow showers around the area, possibly bringing a layer of snow, stretching from near the north shore of Lake Erie into the Philadelphia metro area.

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A blast of dry, cold air will accompany the minor storm Saturday night into Sunday and could prevent a rain-drenching southern storm from moving very far north late Sunday into Monday.

However, the storm could extend northward, bringing a mix of rain and snow to parts of West Virginia, Maryland, northern Virginia, central and southeastern Pennsylvania, northern and central New Jersey, and coastal New York.

How far north the storm’s snow reaches will depend on the exact path and how the storm interacts with the region’s cold, dry air. If the storm moves 50-100 miles north and becomes a little stronger, it could mean the difference between non-accumulating snow and a few inches between Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, and New York City. If snow remains intermittent and light along the Interstate 95 corridor, treated roads may remain wet. If heavy snow continues for several hours, roads may become slippery and slushy.

We encourage those with travel plans to continue to check for updates.

The storm does not appear to be a repeat of the large winter storm that brought heavy snow and sleet to the Northeast in late January.

Parts of the mid-Atlantic states will see some overlap between the two snow areas.

Isolated flurries and flurries will develop in areas north of the southern storm Sunday night into early Monday. The St. Lawrence Valley, Adirondacks and northern New England will be affected by this weak storm.

After Monday, a new stream of Pacific air will move into the Northeast, possibly producing the highest temperatures of the year.

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