Wild Wet Windy and Wicked Wind Chills Wallop Northeast!

Good afternoon and Happy Holiday’s too you and all your families! Sincere apologies on the lack of updates lately, and specifically with this coming storm. I’ve been under the weather, instead of top of it, for over a week now. Good thing I don’t broadcast these updates (possibly in the future), as I’m still coughing up a lung. But I wanted to briefly jump on here and emphasize a few very important points. Unless you live under a rock, don’t pay attention to your local forecast or national weather news, there’s a major storm headed to the Northeast later today. While we won’t be on the receiving end of minus 72F wind chills, blizzard conditions or plowable snowfall, the impact of this powerful system will certainly be felt. Damaging winds leading to power outages, coastal flooding, and dangerous flash freezes as a result of a rapid plunge in temperatures are the main culprits. I highly recommend bringing in any loose outdoor Christmas decorations, prep for isolated power outages, and take extra care tomorrow afternoon into the evening hours for extremely icy conditions on driveways, walkways (have salt ready), store parking lots, as well as local roads. The arctic plunge hits the entire east coast with single digits Saturday morning from Georgia, to Greer SC, Greensboro NC, Georgetown, Glen Rock NJ, to Guilford CT, Greenfield MA, up to Gilford NH!

In the Sunshine State, even the iguana’s drop along with temps, which plunge into the 30s! I’ll do my best below to pinpoint below the timing and impact on rain, strongest gusts and temperatures on the tri-state area, southern New England and ski country.

Tri-State Area (NJ/NYC/LI/Hudson Valley)

Rainfall: Moderate showers begin and spread across the tri-state early this afternoon, becoming steadier and heavier during rush hour and right though the night. For those considering going to the Jets game tonight, reconsider. Downpours, heavy at times will commence well before kickoff and last through out the whole game. While temps will be in the mid to upper 40s, perhaps touch 50°F by the end of the game, it’ll still feel raw on the grid iron. To add to the misery, winds will be howling from the east at 17-23mph, gusting to up to 40 to 50mph. Advantage, Jets. That said, Rain ends before sunrise tomorrow, totaling up to 1 to 2″. A second, albeit brief batch of rainfall flies through between 9am and noon Friday with possible festive flakes on the backend as the arctic blast follows.

Wind: Strong to damaging wind gusts come in 2 waves, the first during the evening hours through the overnight hours. The highest gusts out of the ESE will be found along coastal sections on the Jersey shore, southern Long Island and NYC (50mph to 60mph gusts possible), 35mph to 45mph inland. The second line out of SW moves through in conjunction with 2nd batch of rain, from 9am to around noon. Similar gusts are expected.

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Temps (WOW): How’s a nearly 50F drop in 12 hours sound?? Given the SW flow, temps actually climb into the mid 50s while we’re sleeping tonight! Out the door Friday morning will still be in the upper 40s but get ready folks. Be prepared to be blasted by the Siberian Express. Temps will begin its plunge Friday, dropping into the 30s by noon, the 20s by 2pm, teens between 3-6pm, and single digits, Yes single digits by 9pm! And if that doesn’t send shivers down your spine, those wind gusts I discussed above take f’n cold to a whole new meaning. Wind chills numbers are brutal, starting at noon (teens), 3pm (single digits), 6-9pm (minus 10 to minus 15F)! Btw, Christmas Eve (Saturday) the high will be only in the teens, and heat wave for Christmas, mid 20s. See the gory graphics below.

Southern New England (CT, MA, Southern NH)

Rain: Moderate showers from the SW to the NE, begin and spread across the CT, MA and NH between 8pm and 11pm tonight, becoming steadier and heavier during the overnight hours, ending between 6-9am Friday. Totals of 1 to 2″ with up to 3″ in W CT and W MA. A second, albeit brief batch of rainfall flies through between 12pm and 3pm Friday with possible festive flakes on the backend as the arctic blast blankets the region.

Wind: Strong to damaging wind gusts come in a few waves, the first during the overnight hours. The highest gusts out of the ESE will be found across CT, coastal MA and Seacoast (50mph to 60mph gusts possible), 35mph to 45mph inland in MA. The second line out of S moves through between 6am and 10am. Coastal sections of RI, the Cape on up to the seacoast of NH may see gusts up to 60 to 70mph, possible higher (Isles of Shoals may hit 90mph, lets see!). I’ll be buoy hunting looking for rogue waves for sure! The last line of gusts moves in between 12pm and 3pm in conjunction with 2nd batch of rain. There will certainly be power outages with these gusts so be prepared, especially with arctic blast coming. Move cars away from trees!

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Temps: As mentioned above on brutal temps, How’s a nearly 50F drop in 12 hours sound?? Given the SW flow, temps also climb into the mid 50s from 5am Fri until early afternoon! Enjoy it, but if you blink, you’ll miss it! Temps will begin its plunge Friday, from SW to NE. Dropping into the 30s between 12pm and 3pm in W CT and W MA (an hour or 2 later further east), the 20s between 4-6pm, teens between 7-10pm, and single digits, Yes single digits between 12am and 5am Friday! And if that doesn’t send shivers down your spine, those wind gusts I discussed above take f’n cold to a whole new meaning. Wind chills numbers are brutal, starting between 3pm and 6pm (teens), 6pm and 9pm (single digits), 9pm through the overnight hours (minus 10 to minus 15F)! Christmas Eve (Saturday) high’s will be stuck in the teens, and for Christmas, a balmy mid 20s. See the gory graphics below.

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Ski Country:

Rainfall: Precip begins as accumulating snow around 9pm tonight through 3am to 5am in the Daks, Greens, Whites, and the Loaf. Some of the higher elevations can see 1 to 2 feet. Unfortunately it won’t last as the changeover to rain takes place by daybreak Friday. Moderate to heavy downpours last until around noon, totaling up to 1 to 2″. A second, albeit brief batch of rainfall flies through between 1pm and 3pm with possible festive flakes on the backend as the arctic blast moves in.

Wind: Strong to damaging wind gusts hit the peaks between late tonight and the overnight hours. The highest gusts out of the ESE will top out between 50mph up to 75mph. The second line out of S moves through between 11am and 1pm Friday, and lastly between 2-6pm. There will be power outages across northern parts with these gusts so be prepared, especially with arctic blast coming. Move cars away from trees!

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That’s it for now. Again, please take the rapid flash freeze seriously, both on the roads, parking lots at stores for the last minute Christmas shoppers, and your homes. It’ll be a sheet of ice! Put down salt/sand before the temps plunge. Charge your phones, laptops and electronics in case of isolated power outages and take in any loose holiday lights and decorations. Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah everyone! I’ll be back to discuss what’s brewing next in the atmosphere (possible coastal storm the end of next week to kickoff the New Year, a brief warm up coming in early January, followed by the potential for a wild rest of the month). Back to honey and tea, and bed. While I can, for now, remember weather never ever sleeps!