Midweek winter storm expected across interior New England

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A fast moving, active weather pattern will continue over the next several days throughout the Northeast US. In the midst of a winter that has been best described as “consistently inconsistent”, another winter storm will evolve in the interior, bookended by warmer than normal temperatures. Low pressure moving from the Mississippi Valley into the Eastern Great Lakes is likely to be the initial impetus for precipitation moving into the Northeast US by Tuesday.

Much of this precipitation will be driven by a  process known as “Warm air advection” — in other words, the movement of warm air through multiple levels of the atmosphere. Lift for precipitation will move into the Northeast as the afternoon goes on, and the middle layers of the atmosphere will gradually warm from southwest to northeast. This will be suffice to change most areas over to rain in the Mid Atlantic States.

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Public Analysis: Colder air intrudes this weekend, in a sea of warmth

After coming out of frigid airmass early this week, temperatures gradually moderated to above seasonal levels for mid-week period. This is due to more troughiness over the Western United States, and lack of high-latitude blocking, leading to more progressive pattern with a stronger Southeast ridge.

On the periphery of the ridge, the a more southwesterly flow will has allow for warmer airmass to move into Northeast and Mid-Atlantic region. Meanwhile the storm track has shift well to our north and west due the Southeast ridge. This pattern continue will for the next few days. Another low passing over the Great Lakes will push a warm front with some rain likely through the region tonight. Then temperatures tomorrow could rise well into the 50s or even lower 60s, across the area as even warmer airmass moves into region.

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Offshore Storm Brings Snowfall for Coastal Areas Today

Low pressure off the Southeast coast early this morning, will track quickly northeast today. Snow will overspread from the southwest to northeast across most of the region this morning.  The low will slowly intensify today and have a lot moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. But the low track well south and east of 40/70 benchmark. This will keep the brunt of the storm mostly offshore.

However, lift from upper-level jet and mid-level disturbance are anticipated to enhance some moderate to possibly heavy banding over snow particularly for coastal sections by early this afternoon. Heaviest snowfall is expected over parts of Central and Eastern parts of Long Island and Connecticut and over Southeast NJ where 6” of snow and greater is mostly likely fall. The National Weather Service has issued Winter Storm Warnings for these areas.

snowtotalsmap

Snowfall map issued Friday night

Further northwest, latest guidance early this morning, indicates some low-level dry air with north-northwest winds may cause sharp cut-off in snowfall totals especially just of west of the Hudson River. At this time, we continue anticipate about 3″-6″ for NYC and Nassau and back towards I-95. Just northwest of these locations, snowfall totals will drop off quickly. But if low-level dry air wins out, these amounts may be lower  with far less snow farther northwest We will keep monitoring for these trends today and update as necessary. Otherwise mostly cloudy skies are expected today with high temperatures in the lower to middle 20s.

Snow will begin tapering off late this afternoon and this evening, as the storm moves further into Atlantic. It will turn colder behind this storm temperatures dropping into teens over region overnight. Skies will clear later tonight, as high pressure builds into region. Sunday will be partly sunny, but very cold, blustery with highs in the middle to upper 20s.

Public: Chilly & Breezy, but not Cold as the Calendar Turns to 2017

Happy New Year, everyone! The weather today is relatively pleasant with seasonable temperatures but a relatively stiff southerly wind at times. Wind gusts will continue to be around 30mph for most of the day. We have a decently potent shortwave to the north that is pumping up some southerly flow out ahead of it and is also streaming some high clouds into the region, but because of the previously chilly airmass from yesterday, our temperatures are still relatively cool today.

There is not a lot of moisture with this shortwave and it’s also missing us well to the northwest, which means there is not a lot of forcing or lift. However there may be just enough southerly flow to provide a tad bit of moisture later this evening and tonight. This, combined with the distant shortwave may be enough to provide a few scattered snow showers in the interior and some rain showers closer to and on the coast. These are not expected to be heavy at all for the aforementioned reasons and for the most part it should just be dry and mostly cloudy, but the potential for precipitation this evening into the early overnight is enough to be made aware.

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