A high-impact system to bring snow to a good chunk of the eastern United States
UPDATE: A look at which areas could see what!
Tracking a big storm system that will dive southeast out of Canada producing a swath of snow and wintry precipitation from the Northern Plains south into the Southeast from the late week into the weekend. This system is an upper-level clipper system that will race southeast. This system will see enhanced impacts due to a strong temperature gradient and a developing surface low pressure somewhere near the South so some significant weather impacts are expected. Join the Firsthand Weather Supporter Group today!
The main timeframe for impacts is Friday through Sunday. Impacts will begin Friday from the Northern Plains into the Midwest, move into the Ohio Valley on Saturday, and into the Appalachians, Mid-Atlantic, and parts of the South, Southeast, and Carolinas on Sunday. Within these areas, accumulations are likely with some significant accumulations possible.
It should be noted, there are still some questions with this system, especially as we move into the weekend and the impacts farther south. A low pressure system will develop over the weekend in the South. The models are struggling with the placement of this low so there are some areas of high uncertainty when it comes to which areas in southern parts of the country will see the heaviest precipitation and which areas will see snow. Regardless, snow and possibly a wintry mixture of freezing rain and sleet (the finer details will be ironed out over the coming days) is possible for parts of the South and Southeast regardless of the track of this low. Right now, it appears areas north of I-20 have the best shot to see snow this weekend in the South. This is where cold air and moisture should meet.
There is also uncertainty with the track of the upper-level clipper system that will dive southeast out of Canada, which will have impacts on which areas in the Northern Plains (and possibly the Midwest) will see the heaviest snow. A more south-southeast dive would favor the Northern Plains to see the highest accumulations whereas a more southeast jog would bring the Midwest into the action. Join the Firsthand Weather Supporter Group today!
The American model is farther north with the low while the European is farther south. The Canadian model is aligned fairly well with the American so will lean in this direction right now. It should be noted, the American and Canadian as well as the European all disagree on what the low pressure does early next week and this is important because this system could bring significant impacts to the East Coast. But that is all dependent upon the track of the low. The American model shows the low hugging the East Coast but the Canadian and European keep the low just off the coast. A lot will change over the coming days so keep checking back for updates.
The animated graphic below shows the American model forecast from Friday through Tuesday and depicts the progression of the system from the Northern Plains to the South and possibly the East Coast. Join the Firsthand Weather Supporter Group today!
It is too early to talk about snowfall amounts but we wanted to provide you with a snow accumulation map from the American model which shows which areas could see snow (keep in mind, some of this will be sleet and freezing rain which is likely augmenting the snow totals across parts of the South & Southeast). Notice much of the Northern Plains and parts of the South and Southeast see snow with the potential for snow along the East Coast depending on the track. Join the Firsthand Weather Supporter Group today!
Keep checking back for updates!