Winter Weather Watch: Snow Winding Down for Northeast Tuesday Night

In our threat graphic on this page, we depict three levels of risk:

• "Aware":  These areas should be aware of potentially impactful winter weather ahead.
• "Alert":   These areas should be on alert for impacts to road and air travel.
• "Action":  Prepare for major travel disruptions, as well as school & business closings.

Northeast Snow Ahead

Latest Winter Weather Summary 

- Pacific Coast

Several weather systems will impact the West coast with rainfall, the heaviest amounts mainly through the northern half of California where totals will be very significant from midweek into the weekend. This is a relatively mild pattern, therefore snow levels will be above 7000 ft for most of the time with little impact even at pass levels.  To put this in perspective, the highest elevation of I-80 through Donner Pass is about 7,230 ft.  For the first significant system, snow will occur in the Wednesday through Thursday time frame there, at this point I am looking at snow totals in the range of 3 to 8 inches and temperatures should hold close to 32 degrees with some impacts at the Pass level on I-80. Successive pulses of energy moving off the Pacific into the weekend will bring additional rounds of snow to the highest elevations of the Sierra.    

- Great Lakes

Marginal lake-effect snow finally shuts down on Upper Great Lakes Tuesday night.  1 to 3 inches more snow expected for parts of the U.P. of Michigan and "Tip of the Mitt" in Lower Michigan.  Marginal lake-effect snow continue off Lake Ontario today.  Then another weak system brings marginal lake-enhanced snow east of Lake Ontario Wednesday, finally ending Wednesday evening. I only expect another 2 to 3 inches within these bands to the southeast and east of the lake. 

- Northeast   

Weak, relatively fast moving winter weather system with limited moisture and limited cold air will move off the Mid-Atlantic Coast later Tuesday evening.  A swath of snow will occur from parts of West Virginia through Massachusetts with totals of 1 to 3 inches likely across the Poconos.  Farther northeast across Western Massachusetts where the air is a bit colder, snowfall totals this evening could approach a 2 to 4 inch range, but major metro areas like Boston will likely see an inch or less.  Evening rush hour travel through Boston will likely not be significantly impacted but to the west from Worcester through Springfield untreated roadways may slicken up for a time this evening.  Otherwise Philadelphia and New York will see a mix of rain and snow but warm ground temperatures and air temperatures in the mid 30s should result in wet roads with little impacts. This system will move off the coast by midnight Tuesday night, ending this marginal winter weather event.