The National Weather Service has issued Winter Storm Warnings for portions of central Pennsylvania, western Maryland, and eastern West Virginia due to the likelihood of severe winter weather. People are urged to use extra caution if they must travel in slick winter weather conditions.
A low pressure system centered over the Midwest states Saturday evening is forecast to track across the Ohio Valley tonight and then across the northern Mid-Atlantic and Northeast Sunday and into Sunday night, with generally light rain for most areas affected. Some mixed precipitation, including some light freezing rain, is also likely across portions of Wisconsin and Michigan, and also the Central and northern Appalachians, where some winter weather advisories are now in effect.
More impactful winter weather is expected for the higher terrain of eastern West Virginia and into south-central PA, where winter storm warnings are in effect. The anomalously strong surface high over the Northeast U.S. will provide some cold air damming once this system arrives, with warmer air aloft over-riding the colder air closer to the surface providing the environment for mixed wintry precipitation.
The depth of the cold air will be a major factor in determining the amount of frozen, such as snow and sleet, versus liquid, such as plain rain and freezing rain. The bulk of the wintry mix and snow/ice accumulation should stay along and to the northwest of I-81. As far as snow accumulations go, Winter Weather Advisory criteria snow/sleet is looking increasingly likely over parts of the Central Mountains, Ridge and Valley Region, and up towards the Endless Mountains region of northeast Pennsylvania. It appears that hourly snowfall rates of .25″ to .5″ at times Sunday afternoon and evening bring the best chances for 2-4″ of snow to an area stretching from State College to Lewisburg, Bloomsburg to Lock Haven and back to Philipsburg, with 1 to 2.5″ amounts common across the remainder of central and north central Pennsylvania south of Route 6. Amounts drop off south of I-81, and along the Alleghenies where precipitation types are more likely to be freezing rain and sleet.
In the Winter Storm Warning areas, heavy mixed precipitation expected. Total snow accumulations up to 2″ with additional ice accumulations between 1/10 – 3/10 of an inch are expected starting Sunday morning and ending Monday morning. Power outages and tree damage are likely due to the ice. Travel will be difficult. The precipitation will turn to plain rain as the temperatures rise above freezing early Monday morning which is why the Winter Storm Warnings expire then.
“If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. The latest road conditions for the state you are calling from can be obtained by calling 5 1 1,” advises the National Weather Service to those in the Winter Storm Warning zones.
