WINTER STORMSnow Will Fall in Parts of the Northeast as the First Full Week of Spring BeginsBy Linda Lam
5am / March 22,2020
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At a Glance* An area of low pressure will track off the Northeast coast Monday into Tuesday.
* Cold air will be in place, allowing some precipitation to fall in the form of snow.
* The early week system will not erase this season's large snowfall deficit in the Northeast.
* Another coastal low will likely bring more rain and snow to the region midweek.
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A coastal low will bring some spring snow to parts of the Northeast early week, but will not really help alleviate snowfall deficits in the region.
An area of low pressure will begin to develop off the mid-Atlantic coast late Sunday. This system will then strengthen as it tracks northeastward off the Northeast coast.
Moisture from this coastal low will stream into the mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Ahead of this system, high pressure will keep chilly conditions in place over the region. Temperatures will dip below freezing and this combined with moisture will allow some of the precipitation to fall in the form of snow.
Below we take a closer look at the messy start to the first full week of spring.
Snow, Rain ForecastSunday Night's ForecastA disturbance will spread rain and some snow into the Midwest. Rain and snow will also begin to develop in the Northeast on Sunday night.
Light snow is anticipated in parts of Pennsylvania and southern New York, as well as from Iowa into Michigan.
Monday's ForecastPrecipitation will increase across the mid-Atlantic and much of the Northeast on Monday. Much of the day may be dry in eastern and northern New England as rain and snow spread northeastward.
The most significant snow will fall in the higher elevations of New York and New England, with a mix of rain and snow in the interior. Precipitation may begin as a snow near the Interstate 95 corridor, including Boston and New York City, before quickly changing to rain.
Winds may begin to increase as well.
Monday Night's ForecastRain is expected toward the Northeast coast, while snow or a mix of rain and snow will fall in much of upstate New York and northern New England.
Gusty winds are also possible, especially toward the New England coast.
Precipitation will likely come to an end by dawn on Tuesday, with the exception of eastern Maine which could see snow linger into Tuesday morning.
Another round of rain and interior snow will move into the Northeast midweek as another coastal low may develop and track near the region. However, it is too early for details on this midweek system.
How Much Snow and Rain?
The I-95 corridor will likely see little to no snow accumulation.
Higher elevations in the Northeast, including parts of the Catskills and Berkshires will likely see the highest snowfall totals. Moderate to heavy snowfall may also extend into southern Vermont, much of New Hampshire and western Maine. More than 6 inches of heavy, wet snow may accumulate in these areas.
Rainfall totals of 1 to 2 inches are expected toward the coast.
Lack of Northeast SnowfallSnowfall was in short supply for most of the Northeast this winter and it has been two years since the last high-impact snowstorm hit the Northeast urban corridor.
Low pressure systems either moved too quickly out into the Atlantic without much strengthening near the East Coast or they have tracked farther inland, bringing rain instead of snow.
As a result, less than an inch of snow fell in Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia. Boston has seen about two feet less snow than average this season. This was also the second warmest winter on record in Boston and the second least snowiest winter on record in Philadelphia.
However, Portland, Maine, has measured near-average snowfall this season and Caribou, Maine, has picked up 117.7 inches of snow, which is 22 inches more than average to date.
The snowfall deficits will likely not be erased this season since the current pattern is not conducive for heavy snowfall toward the Northeast coast. The Northeast typically sees its last snowfall in March but can still see snow in April, although the I-95 corridor from Boston to Philadelphia averages less than 2 inches in April.
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