Good morning atmospheric audience! Hope all is well and you’re excited (at least some of you), that spring is knocking on the front door (Penny Penny Penny) OR perhaps not. Can’t believe it’s March 9th already! Now I know many of you are looking forward to put the boats in the water, packing away the jackets, gloves, and shovels, and say goodbye to snow and cold. Yes, I will admit we’re almost there as the week ahead should see temperatures spike to above normal for most of the Northeast. But first we have to contend with this pending storm that’s gonna knock the daylights out of the mid Atlantic up to New England, but just in time for Daylight Savings, which is tonight (for those who are clueless to the calendar)! You know the drill, we lose an hour of sleep, but we gain an hour daylight (rumblings of this becoming permanent but who’s the heck knows or cares, I actually like the bi-yearly changes). Tornadoes down south, flooding downpours, beach erosion, gusty winds, and accumulating snow in the higher elevations, are all part of this low pressure system which will I’ll discuss in a minute.
However, about putting away those gloves and hats I would advise to not pack them away too far as old man winter isn’t ready to hang it up just yet. With opening day rapidly approaching (and so is playoff hockey!), we’re in the top of 9th for winter, BUT extra innings are looming. There’s a potential for a big drop temperatures and a chance, yes a chance, for one of the those lion type March snowstorms. They’ve happened before as wild weather in March is nothing new. How about a tornado on Nantucket on March 9th back on 1774!
As many long term subscribers know, I’m a student of weather history so I’ve compiled a long list of Northeast March snowstorms which I’ll put in another upcoming post. A major late March storm (perhaps a birthday blizzard near the end of the month?), is certainly on the diamond. Ok, let’s get right into the timing and what to expect on this approaching storm for later today into Sunday morning.
TRI-STATE AREA
First, for the Tri-state area rain moves into majority of the area mid to late afternoon, becoming heavier and steadier after sundown (5:57pm for Central Park), but tapering off around midnight.
A total of 1-2″ expected (higher end in NNJ, lower Hudson Valley and coastal CT). Flood Watches and along the coast are up across the area. Winds pickup, especially along the coastal sections between 40-50mph (isolated 60mph), 30-40mph inland.
For Sunday, it’s a mostly dry yet cold and blustery day. Can’t rule out a stray shower and snow squall or 2, especially later in the day into the evening hours. For Monday batten down the hatches as a strong non-precep cold front blasts the tri-state with consistent 35 to 45mph winds. Can’t rule out isolated power outages due to loosen roots from heavy rains knocking down limbs and weakened trees. If it’s garbage day for you be sure to wait to put out until the last minute.
New England (Plus Greens Whites and Loaf)
Storm track traveling on the map from the lower left to the upper right (SW to NE) enters western parts of Connecticut and Mass between 4-7pm, and later in the evening to Cape, Boston and Seacoast. Precip becomes steadier and heavier further east throughout the night with winds picking up especially along coastal sections.
Heavy wet snow commences after dark BUT limited to the foothills of western MA, then Killington to Stowe, across central and northern NH over to the Loaf. Snow tapers off and mixes with sleet/rain by daybreak, ending before noon Sunday. 6-10″ possible across the slopes.
Festive flakes and squalls also a possibility Sunday afternoon into the evening hours, across New England.
Similar to the tri-state area while dry on Monday wins will be whipping big time across all of New England. Be sure to take any loose items and I would wait to put out garbage in the morning instead of Sunday night.
For those who love warmer weather, you’re gonna be very happy this upcoming week into early next as temperatures across the entire northeast climb into the upper 50s to low 60s perhaps touching 70°F at the end of this week into the weekend. See below the top cities 10 day temps!
Most of the region will remain dry with the next system, approaching not until Friday, and Sunday. But as mentioned in the first paragraph once we switch over to the Spring Equinox an arctic blast floods into our area from approximately the 18th/19th into the first week of spring. I am sniffing out a potential major storm up the eastern seaboard that could bring additional snowfall on the I95 corridor but more than likely west of the major cities. That said, temperatures during this period will average 5 to 15° below normal. What is normal? Referred back to my Almanac at the beginning to find your closest cities normal high and low, and record high and lows on this date. For those who love to plant, I would hesitate jumping early later this week when the crocuses and tulips start popping. Next week could damage or kill anything that you guys start to plant. That’s it for now. Be sure to change your clocks tonight. I’ll be back later in the week with more details on what’s lurking, the colder temperatures, and eventually start providing the forecast for the April 8th total solar eclipse! Besides not great odds of it being clear on that day if you aren’t aware, it’s a very narrow band to be able to see the total eclipse which runs from Boston to Burlington to Berlin, NH to Berlin, ME (see below the maps). And remember, weather never sleeps!
