The next storm system impacting the Northeast is rapidly forming over the Ohio Valley and will move across the eastern half of the United States over the weekend.
This system will likely not be a source of significant rain or snow for most people as it will work with somewhat limited materials, but it will likely cause some problems as the rain disrupts plans for Thursday through Friday. It is expected that this will be a nuisance to millions of people.
“The exact same system that is impacting California will continue to evolve eastward,” said FOX Weather meteorologist Kendall Smith.
On Thursday, the currently developing area of low pressure will begin to slide eastward across the center and upper Midwest.
Rain is expected to fall along the path of the low pressure system, but the amount will remain low, with most locations expected to receive about an inch or less.
A lack of cold air limits snowfall potential.
The morning and evening commute is expected to be slow Thursday, including for millions of people in Chicago, St. Louis, Cleveland and Cincinnati.
Flooding is also possible in parts of the Ohio Valley Thursday into Friday.
NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center said the thunderstorm could produce heavy rain of up to 1 inch per hour.
The danger level is 1 out of 4, meaning there is low to moderate concern about the possibility of flash flooding.
Friday forecast
By Friday morning, the system is expected to spread across much of the East Coast as the cold front works along its path to amplify showers and thunderstorms.
Due to the lack of cold air, the event will be essentially all rain, except for northern New England, where the FOX Prediction Center said there is a chance of snow.
Snowfall amounts are expected to be between 1 and 3 inches, with higher elevations potentially seeing higher snowfall amounts.
“This area of low pressure, even if it moves into the Northeast, will not be a source of significant snow,” FOX Weather meteorologist Stephen Morgan said. “It’s a more troubling nuisance. At first, we might see some of it start out as snow. If so, it might become even more so at higher elevations.”
Computer forecast models differ on the exact evolution of the system as the low pressure system moves offshore Friday night into Saturday, the FOX Prediction Center said.
fox weather
If this system strengthens quickly, it will favor areas along Maine’s coastline with enough snow to produce winter storms.
There is currently low confidence that this will occur, but the FOX Forecast Center will continue to monitor the forecast and provide updates as needed.
If not this week, when will the next big storm occur?
According to the FOX Prediction Center, the possibility of a major outbreak in the Arctic is extremely low as the meteorological winter ends at the end of this month.
The collision of cold and warm air masses helps create large, expansive systems.
There’s a good chance we’ll still be tracking something next week, but there’s little material available to deal with any kind of storm.
This is unlikely to bring significant winter weather to most parts of the country.
