Sneaky Atlantic storm to take a swipe at Northeast

AccuWeather meteorologists are closely monitoring the progress of a sneaky southern storm that could brush portions of the mid-Atlantic with icy conditions and unleash another round of accumulating snowfall in New England early this week.

The storm was slowly beginning to take shape off the east coast of Florida at the end of the weekend. Spotty showers were breaking out across the Sunshine State as the storm started to organize.

Forecasters expect the storm to track to the northeast and generally parallel the Eastern Seaboard into Tuesday.

"This low pressure system is projected to slide just to the east of the Carolinas throughout the day Monday," AccuWeather Meteorologist Adam Sadvary said, adding that areas of steadier rain and showers would dampen the southern Atlantic coast as the storm moves along.

Those with morning commutes in Columbia, South Carolina, northward to Raleigh, North Carolina, and eastward to the coast may face wet roadways and slower travel times due to areas of rain and drizzle. Overall, the storm's impacts are generally forecast to be a nuisance across the Southeast.

As moisture spreads northward well ahead of the storm, forecasters are eyeing potential wintry hazards to take shape farther north.

Winds from the east in the lower part of the atmosphere could pull in just enough moisture from the Atlantic to cause spotty drizzle to break out by Monday morning across portions of the mid-Atlantic coast, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski.

Low clouds, fog and drizzle are possible generally from the Interstate-95 corridor from Washington, D.C., to New York City and points eastward during Monday morning.

"Depending on the timing, this could cause issues for the morning commute as even a small amount of precipitation can make untreated streets and sidewalks slick with temperatures under the freezing mark," Pydynowski said.

Icy spots may be rather patchy and confined to typically shaded areas and elevated surfaces, but forecasters say that caution should be exercised regardless.

AccuWeather meteorologists expect more widespread wintry weather to take shape farther north across New England.

The greatest risk of meaningful, measurable snow with the coastal storm late Monday into Tuesday appears to be across the interior of Maine into Atlantic Canada, according to Pydynowski.

Depending on the exact extent of precipitation on the western side of the storm, accumulating snow could extend across western Massachusetts and into New Hampshire as well.

Locations such as Bangor, Maine, and Fredericton, New Brunswick, could be on the receiving end of a few inches of snowfall from the storm. Should the storm reach its full potential, snow in excess of half a foot could be possible farther north and west in the higher terrain.

In Boston, forecasters say that temperatures are likely to rise high enough by the onset of precipitation Monday afternoon for mostly rain to fall. Only if precipitation arrives earlier in the day could there be a brief period of light snow before a changeover to rain. The greatest threat for wintry hazards on the roadways are likely to be north and west of the city late Monday into Tuesday.

Even after this storm's brush with the region, the Northeast will not be out of the woods in terms of wintry weather this week. Several quick-hitting Alberta Clipper systems are likely to swing through the northern Plains, Upper Midwest and eventually the Northeast every few days throughout the week.