A powerful winter storm is hitting the Northeast, bringing snow, beneficial rain and high winds as millions of people prepare to travel ahead of the busy Thanksgiving holiday.
Most of New England and parts of the Northeast will likely see only beneficial rain in this event as warm air pushes in from the Atlantic Ocean, but with higher elevations directly below a cold upper-level low pressure system. Heavy snowfall is possible in places. .
The heaviest rain is expected to fall in northeastern Pennsylvania and New York's Catskill Mountains, with up to a foot of accumulation expected by the end of the weekend.
How much snow will fall?
The FOX Prediction Center announced that the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania are experiencing shocking snowfall for residents above 1,000 feet elevation.
“Now, the thing that stands out, of course, is that purple color,” said FOX Weather meteorologist Craig Herrera, referring to snow forecast maps. “They're going to be from parts of the West Virginia Mountains to parts of Pennsylvania. And of course you'll see that in the Poconos River.”
Lower elevation areas where air and ground temperatures are warmer produce only a few inches of dust.
'High-impact winter storm possible' in parts of New York
Winter weather warnings have been expanded since Wednesday, with areas of West Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania remaining under winter storm warnings, while parts of Tennessee, North Carolina and Kentucky are also under winter weather warnings. are.
“When you get that much of it in parts of West Virginia, the winds that come in from the west swerve over the mountains, squeeze out the moisture, and then it blows, and it's all snow,” Herrera said. .
The National Weather Service office in Binghamton, New York, warned of the possibility of a “high-impact winter storm” during a forecast discussion Wednesday. On Thursday morning, forecasters warned of the possibility of another round of heavy snow.
The NWS said there are strong indications that the banding may move into Sullivan County, New York, and Pike County, Pennsylvania, and head toward Broome County, New York, along Interstate 86 overnight.
“Snowfall rates below this band could be 1 to 3 inches per hour or more for several hours,” the NWS said.
Storm left snow around Great Lakes region
The storm system has been gaining strength since developing in the Great Lakes region and has since begun pulling in colder air from the north. As a result, snow fell in parts of Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana.
Heavy snow began falling on major Great Lakes cities, including Chicago and Milwaukee, starting Thursday morning, with visibility dropping to 400 meters during the morning commute.
Video taken Thursday morning outside Indianapolis showed debris flying through the area as winter weather began to set in.
Peak travel will be next week, but some people are deciding to leave early and pack their bags at the airport to beat the holiday rush. AAA said a potentially record-breaking 80 million people are expected to travel more than 80 miles from home this year.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) also says it's preparing for what could be the busiest Thanksgiving travel period on record, offering tips to make navigating through airports as easy and stress-free as possible. provided to passengers.
There will be unnecessary rain
In the Northeast and New England, precipitation totals are expected to remain in the 1 to 2 inch range, although some areas could receive locally more than 2 to 3 inches.
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“Given the drought, the rain along (Interstate) 95 is significant,” said FOX Weather Meteorologist Stephen Morgan. “Will we see more than an inch in New York City? I think we'll have pretty healthy conditions for the next few days. Will it fall in a day? Probably not.”
The rainfall is expected to provide some relief from record-breaking drought conditions and reduce the threat of wildfires plaguing the region.
