A powerful nor’easter hit parts of the East Coast on Saturday, bringing the region’s first major winter storm of the year and heavy snow, wind and freezing rain.
Heavy snow fell in Pennsylvania and western Maryland on Saturday afternoon, accumulating about 1 to 2 inches per hour, making roads slick.
“This is a really fascinating storm system,” said Tom Niziol, FOX Weather winter storm specialist. “It’s going to have a big impact.”
Widespread winter storm warnings are in effect for several inches of snow across swaths of the inland Mid-Atlantic, Northeast and New England, including Boston and the northern corridor of Interstate 95.
In total, about 35 million Americans, from Virginia to Maine, are under winter weather advisories.
West of I-95, temperatures will remain cold enough for precipitation to be all snow, with accumulations from Pennsylvania to New England.
The big winner from the storm will be upstate New York, northeastern Pennsylvania and New England, where heavy snow will last the longest.
Workers shovel sidewalks as snow falls from the first winter storm of 2024, which is expected to dump heavy snow across the northeastern United States, in Ridgefield, Connecticut, the United States, January 6, 2024. REUTERS One person rides a carriage as snow falls in Central Park, New York, U.S., January 6, 2024. REUTERS
Cities such as Boston and Worcester in Massachusetts, Manchester in New Hampshire, Hartford in Connecticut, Albany in New York, Providence in Rhode Island and Scranton in Pennsylvania have a high chance of seeing more than 6 inches of snow, and parts of Upstate New York and interior New England will get maybe up to a foot of snow when it’s all said and done on Sunday.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was one of the communities to end its nearly year-long slow streak, as its last major snowfall was on January 25, 2023.
“I’m excited (about the snow),” said Chris Reese, owner of Cannon Coffee in Hagerstown, Maryland. “My kids are so young and I feel like my youngest hasn’t even experienced real snow in the last few years. And growing up here, we had huge snow storms. And I remember jumping from the first floor ceiling of my kitchen into this giant mound of snow. And I’m excited for my kids to experience some decent snow this year.”
Several places in Pennsylvania and Maryland have already accumulated more than 6 inches of snow, and more is on the way. FOX. Climate
While it’s fun for those at home, winter weather keeps snow plow drivers busy.
“All the guys are trying to do the best they can to clear it,” said Keith, who is part of the public works snowplow crew in Hagerstown. “If you can stay home, that’s the best thing you can do, and that way, we can try to solve it in the quickest way for you. The less traffic, the faster we can finish.”
“As we get closer to Sunday, a second small portion of energy is coming into this system, and you’ll see the winds shift on Sunday during the day toward a more northeasterly track,” Niziol said. “When it does that, the colder air from northern New England slides south, and we’re going to get hit with a flurry of snow in that area on Sunday afternoon. “That’s going to be significant.”
The snow is expected to be wet and thick rather than dry and powdery. Heavy snowfall and strong gusts of wind can cause downed trees and power outages.
Cars circulate through the streets of New York as the area is covered in snow for the first time this season. Max Gorden
New York and Philadelphia will likely miss snow accumulation
On the other hand, while areas like New York City and Philadelphia will see snowflakes flying on Saturday, an ocean influence with water temperatures in the 40s and 50s will prevent coastal communities from New York City to the South see much accumulation, if any.
“The I-95 corridor from DC to Philadelphia, it’s too hot for significant snow,” Niziol said.
This means the current record streak of consecutive days without an inch of snow is likely to continue in Philadelphia and Baltimore.
Weather watching cities around New York City, including Central Park, saw less than a quarter-inch of snow before the mixed precipitation arrived.
As of Saturday night, the heaviest snowfall occurred in the Appalachians that make up Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania.
The Northeast and New England remain under winter weather advisories as more snow is expected to fall overnight. FOX. Weather A person walks as snow falls in Central Park, New York, U.S., January 6, 2024. REUTERS
Many communities saw more than half a foot of snow, as expected.
Snowfall observations for the entire storm system will continue to accumulate as the storm system moves eastward and impacts cities in the Northeast and New England.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn