Extreme Cold – Weather 360

Far-Reaching Winter Storm Expected to Bring Heavy Snow, Sleet, Ice, and Rain

January 18, 2019January 19, 2019Posted in Major Storm, WinterTagged >12" snow, Extreme Cold, Freezing Rain, Heavy Snow, High Winds, Ice, Power Outages, Road Hazards, Sleet, Widespread Power Outages, Winter Storm Warning, Winter Storm WatchLeave a comment

2019’s first major winter weather event has now triggered Winter Storm Warnings throughout the NYC Metropolitan Area. Recent runs of short range computer models have indicated larger-than-expected snow accumulations north and west of the city, with some places potentially receiving upwards of 12 inches of snow along with up to a quarter of an inch of ice.

snow accumulation 19 - 1 18 — The official Weather 360 Tri-State-wide snow total forecast as of 6:00 pm ET January 18, 2019. As per usual in storms involving ice and wintry mix, the greatest snow totals are most likely to occur in interior locations of New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut to the north and west of the city.

While more areas may see more snow than ice or rain, the potential still exists for upwards of a quarter of an inch of ice to accumulate by early Sunday morning. The threat of ice, along with heavy snow and wind gusts potentially exceeding 50 mph, may lead to downed trees and tree limbs as well as power outages come Sunday afternoon. Coupled with sub-zero temperatures Sunday night, the storm has become potentially serious, especially for those who do experience lapses in electricity.

4 Dangerous.JPG — The official Weather 360 roadway forecast, valid from sundown Saturday afternoon until Monday morning. Exact roadway conditions will be heavily dependent on location, but expect conditions to be especially hazardous during the time frame indicated above. Exercise extreme caution on roadways during and after the storm.

Along with the threat for downed trees and power lines also comes the threat for dangerous road conditions. Roadways will begin deteriorating late Saturday afternoon and, due to the rapid refreezing of any liquid on the ground going into Sunday night, will remain potentially hazardous at least through Monday morning.

More updates will be posted as needed both here and on our Facebook page. Stay safe!

Uncertainty Remains as Major Weekend Storm Nears

January 16, 2019Posted in Major Storm, Weather 360, WinterTagged Extreme Cold, Freezing Rain, GFS, High Winds, Ice, Mid Atlantic, NAM, New England, New York City, New York Metro Area, Power Outages, rain, Sleet, snow, Snow StormLeave a comment

Aside from several inches in November, it has been ten months since there has been significant snowfall seen in the New York City Metropolitan Area. This is now expected to change as soon as this weekend, as a significant winter weather event has begun to move east.

gfsfv3 1 16 19 102hr mslp — The evening run of the FV3 GFS computer model on January 16, 2019. Any slight shift to the east or south with this storm could mean extremely high snow totals closer to, or even south of, I-95. (Image courtesy tropicaltidbits.com)

Snow will quickly develop and intensify as it moves into the Tri-State Area late Saturday evening or early Sunday morning, bringing with it rapid accumulations on most surfaces. However, the position of the storm will dictate if and when many locations will see a changeover to sleet, ice, or rain.

At the moment, it appears that locations north of the city and I-95 will experience this transition as early as 9 am Sunday, allowing for potentially significant ice accretions on many surfaces by noon Sunday.

Whether or not the precipitation remains frozen or becomes rain during the day, snow and ice will redevelop by the afternoon as temperatures drop and winds increase Sunday night. It is also important to note that, regardless of the direct impacts of the storm, temperatures will fall to near below zero throughout the Mid Atlantic and New England by early Monday morning. This rapid refreezing could mean any liquid precipitation that falls may become ice on roads, trees, and power lines quickly after the storm exits the area.

nam12km 1 16 19 84hr — The evening run of the NAM 12km computer model on January 16, 2019. This particular run suggests a delayed transition from snow to ice or rain around NYC, meaning snow accumulations could run much higher than currently expected. (Image courtesy tropicaltidbits.com)

Due to the uncertain nature of the this storm, Weather 360 is currently forecasting anywhere between 4 and 12+ inches north of I-95, with anywhere between 3 and 8+ inches to its east and south. Forecasts will be refined in the coming days as the center of the storm develops, but for now, be prepared for a storm that could knock out power, make travel dangerous for an extended period of time, and dump a significant amount of snow, sleet, ice, and rain.

Blizzard Disrupts Travel As Paralyzing Cold Moves In

January 4, 2018Posted in Major Storm, Weather 360, WinterTagged >12" snow, Extreme Cold, Major Blizzard, Major Snowstorm, Major Storm, Power OutagesLeave a comment

A significant winter storm has brought up to 12 inches or more of snow along with wind gusts exceeding 60 mph to the Northeast. Schools remain closed throughout southern New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut as wind speeds of 40 mph create wind chills approaching 25 below zero. The National Weather Service has issued wind chill advisories for the area warning of the potential for frostbite to occur within 30 minutes of exposure to the record-breaking low temperatures.

1 5 18 Temperatures NAM — Low temperatures are expected to approach 0 degrees throughout the area with wind chills reaching minus 20 by the morning.

Expect high winds to continue to create low visibility going into Friday afternoon with the potential for downed trees and tree limbs lasting until Sunday morning.