Category: Posts EN

 

People across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast will be giving thanks for warm clothes and snug blankets on Thursday. A bitterly cold Arctic high is settling over the region with many cities expecting record cold temperatures. Highs will fail to reach freezing as far south as D.C. and Baltimore. Philly, NYC, and Boston will barely struggle into the 20s. Portions of the interior, where an unusually deep early snowpack has already formed, won’t escape the teens, while the northern mountains and much of Maine will remain in the single digits! For many cities this will be the coldest Thanksgiving Day on record.

Not only cold temperatures but wind will be a factor as well. Wind chill advisories are in effect for the interior, where it will feel like the teens and 20s below zero Thursday morning. Spectators of the big Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday morning in New York City will have to brave northwest wind gusts to 30 mph, driving wind chills down into the single digits. Bundle up everybody!

 

It’s only a matter of a degree or two separating wet but drivable roads and a snowy mess. Unfortunately, Mother Nature decided to give cities along the Eastern Seaboard the “cold” shoulder today. Much heavier snow has fallen than was expected, leading to traffic snarls and power outages from the Midwest to the East coast. The map below shows the deadlocked traffic situation that still exists around the New York City metro as late as 11 pm Thursday evening. Needless to say, officials and commuters across this region are frustrated.

 

 

Transportation and transit are the lifeblood of our city. 3 inches of snow have crippled #NYC and this is unacceptable. Moms are stranded with their kids, people are running out of gas. This is unacceptable & we demand answers. #NY13 ⁦@NYCSanitation⁩ pic.twitter.com/jMZdqOX7m1

— Adriano Espaillat (@RepEspaillat) November 16, 2018

 

Meteorologists expected temperatures to warm just above freezing as the precipitation moved in earlier on Thursday. This would have meant a mix of sleet, snow, and rain with relatively light accumulations. However, the snow moved in and became heavy quickly, locking near freezing temperatures in for a longer period than anticipated. The snow didn’t last very long but rates exceeded 1″/hr (2.5 cm/hr) in some areas. Below is a map with snow accumulations for the day around the major cities. NOTE: Totals are preliminary in the Boston area since the snow is still falling as of late Thursday evening.

 

 

It’s part of the same storm system that dropped major ice accumulations up to 0.5 inch (1.3 cm) over portions of the Ohio Valley and Appalachians late Wednesday into Thursday. Numerous traffic accidents and power outages have been the result. The storm is also producing heavy snows over the interior Northeast. Some of the higher elevations will likely see totals approaching a foot (30 cm) before all is said and down.

 

A fast-moving system will move out of the southeast on Thursday. Precipitation will move from the Mid-Atlantic during the morning through the Northeast in the afternoon. Cold air already in place will mean a hazardous mix of snow, sleet, and rain for travelers in the Urban Corridor!

 

 

The heaviest accumulations of ice and snow will occur inland from the Urban Corridor. Temperatures should remain just above freezing as precipitation moves into the major coastal cities from Washington, DC to Boston. However, temperatures aloft will be cold enough to yield some wet snow and sleet despite the surface temps, at least initially. Elevated spots could see some slushy accumulations up to an inch.

 

 

The wintry mix will move into the capital district around sunrise. That means the morning commute could be hazardous, especially coming from the western suburbs. Look for a mix in Philadelphia by late morning and NYC by early to mid-afternoon. Areas further north will disruptions for the evening commute. The wintry mix will likely change to just rain from south to north with locally heavy rain leading to minor flooding.