The FOX Forecast Center is monitoring the potential for two snowfall events, including a nor’easter, during the next week that could impact travel and produce several inches of snow over the region.
Snow has been hard to come by for many as cold air and moisture have not been in sync during previous weather pattern changes, leaving behind massive snowfall deficits.
The first storm system will approach the region on Friday and exit by Sunday morning. The FOX Forecast Center will be paying a close eye to about a 36-hour period when there could be enough cold air intrusion to make flakes fly in some of the major cities in the Northeast.
Forecast models show the second system could be significantly stronger and take on the form of a nor’easter with rain, blustery winds, tidal surge and snow.
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Areas of the interior Northeast are forecast to pick up the most snow, with the potential for 3 to 5 inches from Rochester, New York, to State College, Pennsylvania.
Areas to the south and east, closer to the coastline, are slated to see substantially less snow.
Like many storm systems during the winter, air temperatures are expected to simply be too warm for a substantial snow event.
The FOX Forecast Center expects cities along I-95 south of New Jersey to likely see mostly a cold rain, mixed with a few flakes.
New York City through Boston could pick up on a light dusting to an inch or two of snowfall if temperatures remain cold enough for frozen precipitation.
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Impacts are expected to be minimal for most of the region, according to NOAA’s Winter Storm Severity Index (WSSI).
As long as snowfall amounts remain light in Boston and New York, the winter wonderland will be primarily an inconvenience for travelers and will spare communities from significant disruptions.
“If you do live closer to New York or Philadelphia, it’s going to be right on that cusp of maybe seeing an inch or maybe not,” FOX Weather meteorologist Marissa Torres said. “It’s a big asterisk here because we’re still fine-tuning the totals.”
Areas in Western New York and Central Pennsylvania could approach a more moderate impacted level, which could mean hazardous driving conditions and disruptions before the storm system pushes off the coast on Sunday.
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The combination of interior snow, coastal rain and wind could prove challenging for travel north of the nation’s capital through Maine starting late Sunday and lasting into Tuesday.
“The reason for it is because we’re seeing a big dip in our jet stream by this upcoming weekend. That’s going to allow basically is for a little area of low pressure to develop. And that area of low pressure could position itself in the right location,” said FOX Weather meteorologist Michael Estime.
An abundance of warm air will likely keep snowfall totals in check for the major cities, but much heavier amounts are expected to fall in the interior region.
Enough hazardous weather in the form of rain and wind along the coast and Interstate 95 will likely cause issues at travel hubs through at least Tuesday until the storm system moves away from the U.S. East Coast.