A late-week storm could bring the Northeast its first snow of the season, forecasters say, as a sharp cold snap sweeps across the eastern United States. The system is expected to deliver rain, snow, and gusty winds from Thursday through Saturday, with the Northeast mountains having the best chance of accumulating snow.
The storm is still taking shape, and forecasters stress that its exact track and snowfall totals remain uncertain. But the broad pattern is becoming clear: a low-pressure system developing across the Ohio Valley later this week will move toward the Mid-Atlantic by Friday, dragging cold air from Canada behind it, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
The result could be a dramatic change for millions of Americans. High temperatures could remain in the 30s or 40s across the Northeast, Great Lakes, and Ohio Valley, with overnight lows plummeting into the 20s, the FOX Forecast Center said.
When will the Northeast first snow arrive?
The system is expected to develop across the Ohio Valley later in the week and move toward the Mid-Atlantic by Friday. Rain, snow, and gusty winds are possible off the coast from Thursday through Saturday, with the heaviest impacts likely late in the week.
There is a possibility that a snowstorm could hit the Northeast before the end of the week, Fox Weather reported on Sunday. The Northeast mountains have the best shot at accumulating snow, while lower elevations are more likely to see rain mixed with snow.
The storm is developing alongside an unusually early disruption of the polar vortex, the FOX Forecast Center noted, although forecasters stressed that the disruption is not a direct cause of this storm. What is driving the weather is a shift in the jet stream that is pulling cold air south while warmer air builds across the West.
A major split in U.S. temperatures
The coming week will divide the country in two. While the East turns cold, the West stays warm: cities from California to the Great Basin and the desert Southwest could see temperatures 10 to 20 degrees above average, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
The scale of the change is striking. On Tuesday, more than 300 million Americans will be above average in temperature, with only a little over 4 million below average. By Saturday, that number reverses: more than 160 million Americans are expected to be below average, and the figure is likely to rise further into Sunday.
The cold air will spread from Canada beginning late Friday, with the cooler pattern likely continuing through next weekend. For the Northeast, the Great Lakes, and the Ohio Valley, the shift marks the first real taste of winter after a mild start to November.
What the rest of the country can expect
Before the cold arrives, much of the country will stay mild. The National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center said on Saturday that seasonably mild to warm temperatures and dry conditions are expected for most of the country through the weekend and into early next week, with high temperatures generally 5 to 15 degrees above average.
There are exceptions. Heavy rainfall threatens much of southern and western Texas this weekend, with storms focusing on south-central to south Texas on Sunday and more widespread and intense downpours expected. Periods of showers and gusty winds are also forecast for the Pacific Northwest over the next few days.
Further ahead, the November outlook from AccuWeather points to a mixed month. The Northwest, far northern Rockies, Dakotas, Upper Mississippi Valley, Great Lakes, and Northeast are expected to receive below-average precipitation in November, while much of California, outside its far southern portion, is expected to receive above-average rainfall.
How much snow, and where?
The honest answer, for now, is that nobody knows for certain. The FOX Forecast Center said there remains uncertainty surrounding the storm, including the exact track, snowfall amounts, and coastal winds. The low-pressure system is still days away, and small shifts in its path could make a large difference in who sees snow and who sees rain.
What is more certain is the cold. Even if the snow stays confined to higher elevations, the temperature drop will be felt across the East, with frost and freeze alerts already in effect for millions of people across the Midwest and Southeast.
A late-November weather system could bring wet snow to parts of the Great Lakes and interior Northeast as Thanksgiving approaches, according to AccuWeather senior meteorologist Chad Merrill, and the Mountain West could see snowfall over Thanksgiving weekend, especially at higher elevations.
How to prepare
Forecasters advise residents across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic to watch updates through the week as the storm’s track becomes clearer. Those in the mountains, where accumulating snow is most likely, should prepare for slippery roads and possible travel delays by Friday and Saturday.
Homeowners should also prepare for the cold snap, with overnight lows in the 20s capable of damaging sensitive plants and freezing exposed pipes. The first freeze of the season often catches people by surprise, and this one is arriving with a storm attached.
For now, the message is to stay alert rather than to panic. The storm could still shift, and the snow totals could change. But the direction of travel is clear: winter is arriving in the East, and the season’s first snow is on the way.