East Coast Winter Storm: Snow For Northeast; Blizzard Conditions Possible in New England
Powerful storm will develop off the East Coast Tuesday and Wednesday
Heavy snow possible in parts of eastern New England and likely in Atlantic Canada
Light accumulating snow probable elsewhere in the Northeast and parts of Midwest
Coastal flood, high wind threats in coastal New England Wednesday
Current Radar
Current Radar
Tuesday's Forecast
Tuesday Night Forecast
Mid-Atlantic States (NYC south)
- Timing: Light to moderate snow from the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley into the central Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic states during the day, ending Tuesday night. For the I-95 corridor the snow may mix with rain, at times. As the merger occurs and the coastal low strengthens, some snow and wind will spread through the Delmarva Peninsula, New Jersey, the New York City area including Long Island Tuesday afternoon and evening. Snow ends in these areas Wednesday morning.
- Snow totals: 1-3" in most areas from the New York City metro south into Virginia, West Virginia and the mountains of North Carolina. A few totals up to 6 inches are possible in the central Appalachians, and along the eastern Delmarva Peninsula.
- Wind impact: Gusts over 40 mph possible along the Delmarva Peninsula and Jersey Shore Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night.
- Winter alerts: Mid-Atlantic
- Commuter forecast: D.C. to Boston
Wednesday's Forecast
Northeast Forecast Winds
New England
- Timing: Snow moves into southern New England Tuesday night and intensifies in eastern New England Wednesday. Snow ends in southeast New England Wednesday night and in eastern Maine by Thursday morning.
- Snow totals: Heaviest totals likely across Downeast Maine, Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket with over 6 inches of snow. Depending on the final track of the storm, some or both of these areas may pick up over a foot. Lighter accumulations, on the order of a couple of inches to the west, including most of the Boston metro.
- Wind impact: Gusts over 60 mph likely over Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Island Wednesday morning, tapering off during the afternoon. Some gusts over 60 mph also possible in parts of Downeast Maine Wednesday and Wednesday evening. Expect power outages and tree limbs downed. A few gusts over 50 mph are possible as far west as Boston Wednesday.
- Coastal flood threat: Minor to moderate coastal flooding for Wed. morning high tide along north-facing shoreline of Cape Cod and Nantucket. Beach erosion is likely on ocean side of Cape Cod and east shore of Nantucket, according to the National Weather Service in Taunton, Mass.
- Canadian impacts: Regardless of the exact track, a major blizzard appears likely across portions of the Canadian provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island, potentially expanding into Newfoundland later in the day. Depending on the storm track, some areas may change over to rain after a burst of heavy snow.
- Offshore impacts: The National Weather Service has issued hurricane force wind warnings for the open ocean off the New England coast. This does not affect areas near shore, but well offshore sustained winds could reach 90 to 95 mph and seas could reach 50 feet with some individual waves even higher than that. While not as extreme, gale to storm force winds and rough seas are still expected closer to the Northeast coast.
- Winter Alerts: SE Mass. | Downeast Maine
- Commuter forecast: D.C. to Boston
What Should You Do?
While there is still uncertainty in the forecast, there will be impacts to travel. Flightaware.com reports several dozen flight cancellations in and out of Logan Airport in Boston and Halifax International Airport in Nova Scotia for Wednesday; several dozen flights have been cancelled Tuesday in and out of Reagan National and Dulles International airports in the Washington, D.C. area.
American Airlines, US Airways, Delta, Southwest, and JetBlue have all announced relaxed change fees for those wishing to alter travel plans to several airports in the Northeast and in Atlantic Canada.
Road travel in southeastern Massachusetts and Downeast Maine could be severely disrupted. Ferry service to the islands off the Massachusetts coast is likely to be disrupted Tuesday evening into Wednesday.
You can expect some local events to be cancelled on Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket, and parts of Downeast Maine on Wednesday. With the threat of high winds, there could also be power outages in these areas, so you should be prepared for that possibility if you live there.
For the major cities along the I-95 corridor, impacts are expected to be far less severe – but with the uncertainty still lingering in the Boston forecast, you should pay attention to the forecast if you have plans there.
Check our city-by-city commuter forecast for details on the expected impact on rush hour road conditions in the Northeast Corridor.
(MORE: Safety and Preparedness | WeatherReady Winter)
Check back with weather.com and The Weather Channel for updates on this East Coast winter storm.
MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Deepest Snow in all 50 States
http://www.weather.com/tv/tvshows/americas-morning-headquarters/winter-storm-east-coast-new-england-blizzard-possible-20140324
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