Complex, long duration storm arrives late tonight

Published 1 month ago• 2 minute read

TGIF! We’re waking up to a departing clipper system but outside of a mountain slick spot, the morning drive is in good shape. Brisk northwest breezes are dragging in some colder air with temps in the 20s/30s. Highs manage the low 40s this afternoon with increasing clouds and winter weather alerts taking effect. The winter weather advisory and winter storm watch will extend through Sunday night.

The first round of precipitation will move and groove its way in across the Northeast late this evening, but it runs into quite a bit of dry air. Outside of a light wintry mix tonight, it’s much messier Saturday morning. Heavy snow and an icy mix will inundate northern New York and points east into New Hampshire. Saturday morning’s drive will be very dangerous, slick, slippery, and icy.

That band of various precipitation types for Saturday morning will start to sink south throughout the afternoon, and it will begin to interact with warmer air in southern Vermont to the Upper Valley. That icy mix and rain will take a little bit of a breather Saturday night into very early Sunday morning.

After sunrise Sunday, it’s game on with more rain and an icy mix. The northern St. Lawrence River Valley, the northern Adirondacks, eastern Vermont, and New Hampshire have the best chance to remain as an icy mix through Sunday night before changing over to plain rain. Meanwhile, the rest of us will experience a steadier, heavier rain throughout Sunday into Monday.

Snowfall totals will be heaviest in from northeast Clinton county, New York to the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, and into northern New Hampshire. Lesser totals are expected in the Upper Valley and southern Vermont. Between the snow and expected icing, scattered power outages will be likely.

Significant icing will be likely for the northern St. Lawrence River Valley, northern Adirondacks, eastern Vermont, and New Hampshire. Average ice accumulations of 0.1 inch to 0.5 inches will be common, but localized icing of up to 0.75 inches cannot be ruled out. Dangerous road conditions will become likely Saturday morning through later Sunday.

Lastly, rainfall totals will average 0.5 to 2 inches with localized 3 inch amounts possible. Sharp rises on waterways will be possible through Monday of next week.