SHORT TERM FORECAST
TODAY: Mostly cloudy and always stormy with snow in the afternoon. High: 31
TONIGHT: Windy with snow, some heavy, mixed with sleet and rain south and east of the Lehigh Valley. Low: 25
THURSDAY: Continuing snow and gusts in the morning, then the clouds break for a little midday sun; lively and cold. High: 33 Low: 16
SUMMARY FORECASTS
Tuesday was the calm before the storm, the storm was a major early season winter storm, still scheduled to bring snow and wind to the area later in the day until early Thursday, and for some a mix of sleet too and rain.
Accumulations are likely, and for most of the north and west of Interstate 95, expect snow that can be plowed with moderate to large accumulations, especially as you travel further north and west and higher in elevation. It remains quiet for the first part of today, before the snow develops and intensifies steadily in the afternoon and evening hours.
Winter storm timeline: Here’s what to expect from Wednesday to Thursday
Expect some warmer air at night to turn the snow into sleet from the Lehigh Valley to the south and east, and even rain to parts of the Delaware Valley. Any nighttime mix can end up as snow if the storm starts early Thursday morning, then cold and brisk but drier weather will be the rule for the rest of the week until the start of the weekend.
DETAILED FORECAST
TODAY AND TONIGHT
Wednesday started dry as the clouds thickened, with snow developing from southwest to northeast around noon and early afternoon. Snow starts lightly at first, but sometimes quickly becomes more stable and heavier tonight until the early part of the night.
The cold ground and cold temperatures cause the snow to stick immediately, unlike the small snow we saw earlier in the week. Between that and the heavier snowfall figures, road conditions in the afternoon and early evening will go downhill quite quickly.
North of Interstate 78 in the higher parts of the Poconos, in northwestern New Jersey, and along the Interstate 81 corridor through Schuylkill and Lucerne counties, the storm remains mostly snow. Along and south of Interstate 78 of the Lehigh Valley to the south and east, snow will mix with and turn to sleet at night, and even rain towards the Interstate 95 corridor and the Delaware Valley.
Accumulations
The mixing, plus a “dry slot” or a lighter and more dispersed area of precipitation, will cut into bunches.
– Expect a foot or more of snow from the Blue Ridge and Slate Belt to the north, where everything stays snow.
– For the Lehigh Valley and along the I-78, due to the added mixing problems, accumulations now appear to be in the 8 to 12 inch range.
– Further south and east where mixing is more common, closer to but north and west of Interstate 95, 4 to 8 inches of snow is forecast.
– And south and east of the I-95 corridor to the coast, it is mainly rain and wind with little snow accumulation expected.
Wind gusts are expected to develop especially tonight when the winds can blow up to 40 miles per hour leading to some blowing and drifting snow and some scattered power outages.
THURSDAY
Every Wednesday night can turn back to snow or snow showers before sunrise and Thursday before ending as the morning wears on as our coastal storm sets in quickly. A strong northerly breeze will linger, as will much cloud cover, with some pauses later in the day.
The temperatures won’t move much and will float into the low 30s for most of the day as the cleanup and excavation begins. Add the wind and the chills stay below freezing all day long.
FRIDAY, SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
The high pressure increases, the wind decreases and the cold air comes in at the beginning of the weekend. Don’t expect the snow to melt so quickly, with midday highs in the low to mid 30s and nighttime lows well into the teens thanks to clear skies and deep snow cover.
On Sunday a weak cold front is approaching from our west, causing the clouds to increase. We’re getting a little warmer for the front as the highs come back to nearly 40 degrees in the upper 30s … more seasonal for this time of year. The front can bring a rain or snow shower late in the day or at night, but at the moment we don’t expect this to be a major problem.
FOLLOW THE WEATHER: