NEW YORK – Winter weather alerts have been posted across interior portions of the Northeast and northern New England as a powerful storm system sweeps through, bringing significant snow and strong wind gusts, prompting forecasters to issue wind alerts from the U.S.-Canada border to the mid-Atlantic along the Interstate 95 corridor, including cities such as Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington.
This is the third storm system in a week to impact millions of people across the region, but unlike the previous two, there is enough cold air in place that has allowed for snow to break out.
And some significant snowfall totals higher than 6 inches are likely in the higher elevations.
Winter weather alerts have been across the region and stretch from Ohio to northern New England.
Winter Storm Warnings have been issued for cities such as Cleveland, Watertown in New York and Montpelier in Vermont.
Winter Weather Advisories have also been issued, and those are in effect for cities like Syracuse in New York and Burlington and Rutland in Vermont.
Lower elevations across the region won’t see significant snowfall totals. However, the higher elevations could pick up a half-foot or more as the storm system continues to make its way through the area.
The Green Mountains in Vermont could see snow totals of 5-8 inches, with some locally higher amounts up to a foot or more.
The Adirondacks in upstate New York will also see high snow totals from the system, with snow totals up to a foot possible, with locally higher amounts.
And while lower elevations won’t see as high of snowfall totals, snow that does fall could make for some hazardous driving conditions due to lake-effect snow and snow squalls.
On Sunday morning, the National Weather Service office in State College, Pennsylvania, issued a Snow Squall Warning for the Clearfield area due to heavy snow and threats of a flash freeze. The NWS said the bursts of heavy snow and strong winds had reduced visibility to less than a quarter-mile, making for dangerous travel conditions on Interstate 80 in the area.
Wind alerts have also been posted across the Northeast due to the storm system spinning across the region.
Most areas are under a Wind Advisory and include cities like Washington, Philadelphia, New York City, Providence in Rhode Island and Boston.
The NWS in New York said winds of 20-30 mph are likely with gusts of up to 50 mph across northeastern Pennsylvania and central New York.
High Wind Watches have been issued for southern Connecticut, northeastern New Jersey and southeastern New York.