Monsoon's Weekend Snow Update
Arrival looks like 2-3pm (and then it will be light, wet snow that will—since surface temps will be above freezing—melt on contact with the roadway). The real driving hazards will come in the evening when the temperature drops below freezing and black ice develops—and, of course, when the snow intensifies toward 7-8pm. Heaviest snow in our area will fall overnight, from about 12midnight to 4am. Snow is over by about 6 or 7pm Saturday evening.
Considering all that, I’m downgrading the chance of an early school dismissal for the Reading-Lancaster area to 25%. (If we were in Virginia or even Maryland, I think we’d be getting out early.)
A blizzard is defined by the National Weather Service as a storm sustained winds or frequent gusts of at least 35mph, resulting in drifting snow and less than a quarter-mile visibility for more than three hours. We’ll have winds of 15-20mph with gusts up to 30mph overnight and into Saturday morning, so that nearly qualifies. (Places closer to the shores will have actual blizzard conditions due to strong coastal winds.) Visibility will be a problem too.
Projected storm totals:
Delaware, Maryland, Baltimore-D.C. area…20-24 inches.
Philadelphia, southern Chester and Lancaster Counties, central Jersey… 14-18 inches.
Philadelphia’s northern and western suburbs, Reading and Berks, northern Lancaster County, York and Harrisburg…8-12 inches.
Allentown and northern New Jersey, as well as New York City…6 inches.
Poconos and extreme north Jersey…2-4 inches.
Totals may be higher in some spots due to “thundersnow” or heavy bands of precipitation in which 2-3 inches may fall in a single hours. And in any case, depth will be difficult to ascertain given the extensive drifting.
I will send storm updates this weekend as necessary…
Have fun and please—consider staying off the roads for tonight and much of tomorrow if you can. If you must drive, use the utmost caution.