After rain and severe storms dampened the Northeast, an Alberta clipper is moving into the region and is expected to bring rain and snow through Monday. For some, this could even bring the first accumulating snowfall of the season.
"While portions of the Northeast have already witnessed snowflakes flying this fall, a quick-hitting Alberta clipper system will likely bring the first round of snow that will actually stick to the ground," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham.
Syracuse, N.Y., for example, has yet to receive any accumulating snow this fall, and it will have a chance to do so through Tuesday. AccuWeather forecasters are expecting a coating to an inch of snow total in the Salt City. In Burlington, Va., there was a trace of snow earlier in the month, but nothing measurable. The Queen City can also receive a total of anywhere from a coating of snow to an inch early in the workweek.
"Snow across the Northeast has primarily been limited to the typical lake-effect zones near the Great Lakes, however, this storm will spread snow across a much wider swath of the interior Northeast between Sunday afternoon and Monday," said Buckingham.
Rain and snow will arrive across New York, Pennsylvania and West Virginia on Sunday before precipitation spreads across the rest of the Northeast Sunday night.
"The highest accumulations will likely target the higher terrain of Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont and New Hampshire," Buckingham said.
This would include the Adirondacks, Green Mountains, White Mountains and Catskills. There can be 3-6 inches across the higher-elevation mountains, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax&trade of 9 inches.
"Light accumulations could even extend down into the Berkshires of Massachusetts and across the Appalachians in West Virginia," added Buckingham.
Cities that are forecast to have accumulating snow also include Toledo, Ohio Binghamton and Albany, New York and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. A swath of 3-6 inches is possible across northwestern Pennsylvania, as well as southern New York and mountainous areas of the region.
However, measurable snow is not expected to fall in some of the major eastern cities of the Northeast. Cities like Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., are likely to stay snow-free for now.
"Snow lovers living along the I-95 corridor will either have to continue to wait or make the drive to higher terrain in order to see snow, as temperatures will be too high and the amount of available moisture will be limited," said Buckingham.
While many places that could have snow like Pittsburgh and Albany are on track for the average date of the first measurable snow, some locations usually see snow like this sooner.
"In many locations across the interior Northeast, these first chances for accumulating snow are running around a week to 10 days behind what is typically observed," said Buckingham.
Despite this, it's still quite early in the season, and motorists should avoid being caught off guard when on the road. Essential car items like snow scrapers, first aid kits and blankets are all great things to keep on hand when on the road.
"The Monday morning commute will likely feature some tricky travel across northwestern Pennsylvania as well as western and northern upstate New York," warned Buckingham.
Drivers should also slow down during inclement weather and plan some extra time for the drive and increase the following distance between vehicles.
"A quick burst of a few inches of snow and temperatures right around freezing can lead to a slushy and slow commute," Buckingham said.
On Monday, the storm is expected to depart from the region, leaving behind flurries and some interior snow showers, especially in the typical lake-effect areas. Looking ahead, a brief warmup could be in the works for the region midweek before a cold front advances eastward later in the week.
