Good morning everybody. The storm that is expected to impact the North East will offer a glancing blow to most locations from New Jersey through New England. In the latest report, 2 to 4 inches of snow are expected except the far eastern parts of the Cape where blizzard conditions are still possible.
On the current forecast track, areas such as Boston will only see nuisance snow and not an all out blizzard.
Winter storm watches and warnings are in place for much of the Eastern US tonight as a major winter storm promises to create havoc. This system could be extremely disruptive for both commuters and travelers Flights are already cancelled going into Atlanta, which is a major hub for travelers.
The system will be bringing a combination of ingredients including ice and sleet in the south to heavy wet snow in the north east.
The combination of low pressure developing in the Mississippi Valley and low pressure off the Carolina coast will be monitored through the night to be sure the forecast and development are on track. The potential for a significant ice storm event is possible.
For starters, the precipitation will start as snow in most locations. However, the track of the surface low will shortwave aloft will will result in good SW flow which will warm the upper levels of the atmosphere. This warming will change the precipitation to a sleet and freezing rain mix. The expectation is for moderate to heavy precipitation.
A significant snowfall event is possible across much of Southern New England as a low pressure area tracks between Nantucket and the 40N/70W location. In addition, another snow event is possible over the weekend.
Overall, there is significant confidence that a winter storm will impact the souther New England area. The expected impact will be late Tuesday night through Wednesday.
There is some uncertainty with snowfall totals as the models tend to shift back and forth in regard to the air temperatures. This can make a significant difference either way in the snow totals.
A rare winter storm has left the deep all but paralyzed. Snow, freezing rain and sleet have made many roads slick and in some cases almost impossible to navigate. As many as 50 million Americans have been affected by this freak winter storm.
In the cities of Atlanta and Birmingham traffic is still at a gridlock with some folks still trapped in their cars since yesterday. Many just abandoned their cars and headed to shelters.
Some major normally warm weather tourist areas are going to be hit with a rare Winter storm. Places such as Charleston, SC, Savannah, Ga., Pensacola, Fla., and New Orleans are going to receive a mixture of snow and ice Tuesday and Wednesday. Some schools are already planning half days and will likely be closed tomorrow in advance of the severe weather. More then 1,800 flights have already been cancelled.
The cold weather just will not let up. The next Polar Vortex is on the way to a city near you. If you live in the Midwest or Northeast, it is going to be a cold week. Looking at the low temperatures, we could see some below freezing temperatures as far south as North Florida.
Similar to the last polar blast, the coldest temperatures of this event will be in the Plains and the Northeast states.
****Freeze Warnings Issued For The Treasure Coast******
A freeze warning is in effect from 1 AM to 8AM Friday morning. This is the first bout of freezing or near freezing weather for our region. In addition, a freeze watch is in effect for the Palm Beach area. Most areas to our north will also be under the freeze warning.
For the Treasure Coast, the freeze warning is for locations West of US 1 and even more so the farther inland you go.
