The storm is first expected to spread rain and ice before dropping snow. Photo courtesy of NOAA
Nov. 30 (UPI) -- A storm that originated in the West and wrought havoc for Thanksgiving travelers in the days leading up to the holiday will make its presence felt and bring a new round of travel woes to those in the northeastern United States this weekend.
Forecasters are calling it a double-barreled storm that will first spread rain, ice and snow into the northeastern United States during Saturday and Sunday. However, it is the tail end of the storm that may bring a foot of snow to part of the region from Sunday night to Monday.
A storm system from the Midwest is forecast to crawl into the region spanning Saturday, Saturday night and Sunday. The storm will initially fight with dry air; however, the same dry air and cold ground at the onset will also set the stage for slippery conditions in many locations.
While hammering much of the North Central states at the same time, rain and a narrow zone of ice will develop over the central Appalachians later Saturday.
As the storm advances and moisture increases, the swath of ice will expand over the eastern Great Lakes, Appalachians and interior mid-Atlantic during Saturday night to Sunday morning.
This means that motorists venturing along the Interstate 70, 76, 79, 80, 81, 86, 90 and 99 corridors may encounter slippery conditions.
Roads that appear wet may be icy, especially but not limited to bridges, overpasses and areas that are sheltered from direct sunlight.
Rain will expand to the lower mid-Atlantic coast during Saturday afternoon and night, including the Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia, areas.
During Sunday, a second storm center is forecast to develop along the mid-Atlantic coast. Eventually, this coastal storm will take center stage.
The rain will reach northward along the Delaware and New Jersey coasts. However, around the New York City area and the southern New England coast, conditions in the atmosphere may be such to allow a mixture of rain and sleet to occur at the onset.
Meanwhile, on Sunday, atmospheric conditions will allow mainly snow to spread across northern and eastern New York state to western and central New England.
It is during Sunday night to Monday, when the effects of the strengthening coastal storm are likely to be realized.
Difficult and dangerous travel is likely to develop from Sunday to Sunday night along much of the New York Thruway, as well as the Massachusetts Turnpike and portions of I-84, 88, 89, 91, 93 and 95. Conditions along these highways will range from wet to slushy to snow-covered.
As the coastal storm ramps up, a slight drop in temperature and enhanced moisture from the Atlantic will cause a change to snow or a wintry mix to extend farther south in the mid-Atlantic and snowfall rates to increase from the Poconos and Catskills to the Berkshires, Taconics and the Green and White Mountains of New England.
Snowfall from northeastern Pennsylvania to southern Maine is likely to generally range from 3 to 12 inches with the heaviest amounts over ridges. An AccuWeather Local StormMax of 18 inches is forecast and most likely to occur over the Berkshires and Catskills.
However, several inches of snow is forecast to fall over much of the Hudson and Connecticut valleys as well.
Potential for accumulating snow inches closer to NYC, Philadelphia
There is a chance accumulating snow reaches New York City and as far south as Philadelphia for a time on Monday. Meanwhile, Boston will be in the thick of a battle zone between snow, ice and rain from Sunday through Monday.
Snow or a wintry mix accumulation is likely to ramp up quickly north of Philadelphia and north and west of New York City and Boston. A few inches of snow are likely to fall on the northern and western suburbs of New York City and Boston and the northern suburbs of Philadelphia.
At the same time late this weekend and into Monday, the older part of the storm from the Midwest is likely to send accumulating snow showers into West Virginia and the western parts of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and New York state.
So while travel conditions are likely to be OK in New England and the mid-Atlantic coast into Saturday night, the weather will cause conditions to deteriorate on Sunday into Monday for much of the Northeast.
Those with flights into or out of the region on Sunday and Monday, especially from Philadelphia to New York City and Boston should expect delays and be prepared for flight cancellations. Keep in mind that the storm system will bring adverse effects to the Midwest hubs of Chicago, Detroit and Minneapolis during much of Saturday and Sunday.
