Significant coastal storm could affect the area this weekend
If you hung your hat on a quiet and benign winter after the slow start to December and January, you may want to rethink things. Forecast models are in good agreement on a significant coastal storm — yes, a Nor’Easter — impacting the area this weekend. The storm is likely to form as a result of a significant mid level atmospheric disturbance, which will shift from the Four Corners region of the United States northeastward through the Mississippi Valley and eventually off the coast of the Mid Atlantic States.
The disturbance will force the development of a strong low pressure system, which will shift from the Carolina coast to a position off the Mid Atlantic States and eventually a position near the 40/70 Benchmark on Saturday evening. Forecast models, however, remain somewhat undecided as to the evolution of the energy in the mid levels of the atmosphere — and the evolution and strength of the surface low as it moves up the coast. Obviously, this will have a major impact on the conditions that our area experiences including precipitation type and intensity.