Calm before another storm

Another week, another storm.  Seems like that has been the theme this winter and that theme will continue for this week as another major winter storm impacts the Philadelphia and New York City metropolitan areas from early Thursday morning through Friday morning.

High pressure will be in control today on through tomorrow afternoon with scattered cloud cover slowly increasing on Wednesday to overcast skies by the evening.  Winds will be from the northwest and north at 5 to 15 mph.  Temperatures will remain well below normal for this time of year.  Low temperatures will range from the single digits to lower 10's.  High temperatures will range from the lower to mid 20's.

An area of low pressure developing in the Gulf of Mexico will lift northeast towards the New Jersey coastal waters by Thursday afternoon and towards the New England coastal waters by Friday morning.  The low pressure system will produce a variety of weather impacts from heavy snow, ice, flash flooding from heavy rainfall along the coast, coastal flooding especially on Thursday morning, strong wind gusts over 40 mph, and very poor visibility.  The track of the low pressure system is expected to be right along the New Jersey coast which will bring in just enough warm air to change the heavy wet snow into ice and then heavy rain.  However, the interior is expected to remain all snow in this storm.  It should be noted that a shift east in the storm track would lead to significantly higher snowfall totals along the coast.  Winds will back from the east to the northwest at 15 to 30 mph with gusts over 40 mph.  Temperatures will range from the upper 10's to lower 20's for lows.  High temperatures will range from the upper 20's to lower 30's over the interior and mid to upper 30's along the coast.

The low pressure system will depart on early Friday morning but will be followed by another area of low pressure on Friday evening with scattered snow showers expected.  The snow showers are not expected to produce any significant snowfall accumulations, however another one to three inches will be possible.  Temperatures will range from the mid to upper 20's for lows and upper 30's to lower 40's for highs.

High pressure will be in control for Saturday and Sunday with scattered cloud cover and only slightly below normal temperatures.  Temperatures will range from the upper 10's to lower 20's for lows and mid to upper 30's for highs.