Major nor’easter impacts the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast through early next week

A major nor'easter will impact the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast through early next week. Widespread heavy snow accumulating to 200 mm (8 inches) is expected, with isolated totals of more than 460 mm (18 inches) possible. Freezing rain is also likely in North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.

A prolonged and major winter storm will begin this morning and impact the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast through Tuesday, February 2 as nor'easter lifts slowly up the coast, NWS WPC said January 31, 2021.

Heavy snow will develop from central Pennsylvania northward through Massachusetts tonight and Monday, February 1, and continue across Maine through Tuesday, February 2, with widespread snowfall in excess of 305 mm (12 inches) possible.

Snowfall rates at times may reach 50 mm (2 inches) per hour, especially in any slow-moving bands that develop Monday into Tuesday. These snowfall rates combined with gusty winds will severely limit visibility, making travel difficult to impossible.

Light to moderate freezing rain is likely across the Foothills and Piedmont of North Carolina through Virginia through tonight with up to 6 mm (0.25 inches) ice accumulation possibly.

There is increasing confidence that major impacts to travel and commerce will occur along and west of the I-95 Corridor from Pennsylvania to Maine, including the major cities in Philadelphia, PA, New York, NY, and Boston, MA.

Snowfall will continue today into tonight for the Midwest, with the snow tapering off from the west to east throughout the period. The greatest chance for additional moderate snow (more than 100 mm / 4 inches) will be in the upper Ohio Valley.

Featured image credit: TropicalTidbits, GFS