Post-Christmas storm brings snow and ice to Northeast
AccuWeather’s Bernie Rayno provides AccuWeather’s exclusive snow forecast.
Snow, freezing rain and sleet could disrupt travel for people returning home after the Christmas holidays in parts of the Great Lakes, Northeast and mid-Atlantic, forecasters said.
Snow is expected to fall in the Northeast on Christmas Day and in the upper Midwest later in the day. By Dec. 26, the second system will bring a wintry mix from Michigan across Pennsylvania and into the upper mid-Atlantic region, the National Weather Service said.
“This winter storm is likely to create dangerous travel conditions and delays beyond Christmas,” the Bureau of Meteorology said.
An estimated 122.4 million Americans are expected to travel at least 50 miles during the holiday season, including nearly 110 million people traveling by car, according to AAA.
Snowstorm could disrupt travel and cause power outages
The fast-moving storm could cause travel disruptions and power outages affecting millions of people, AccuWeather reported. Several inches could accumulate on roads. Ice and snow accumulation can also cause tree branches and power lines to fall.
A quarter-inch of freezing rain is expected to fall across Pennsylvania, but snow will begin to fall on Michigan’s upper peninsula and “moderate to heavy snow” will reach New England from Dec. 26 to Dec. 27, the weather service said.
More than 6 inches of snow could fall in parts of New York, northeastern Pennsylvania, and northern New Jersey. Dangerous ice could also be seen in the Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia metropolitan areas.
“This could be the biggest snowstorm for New York City so far this season,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Tyler Royce.
How much snow can we expect from this winter storm?
According to AccuWeather, the heaviest snowfall will occur in the Catskill Mountains and inland areas of northeastern Pennsylvania, where accumulations will range from 6 to 12 inches. The outlet had predicted that much snow would fall in major cities.
- Hartford, CT: 3-6 inches
- New York City: 3 to 6 inches
- Syracuse, NY: 3 to 6 inches.
- Boston: 1-3 inches
- Philadelphia: 1-3 inches
- Baltimore: Coating up to 1 inch
- Washington: Coating up to 1 inch
