Welcome to February!
Watch for snow overnight tonight, possibly 1 to 2 inches by morning. Olaf Index = 3, but Elsa Index goes to 8, with wind and cold. No ice with this storm but this is the diversion for Monday night into Tuesday morning where we are looking at 2 to 3". A much happier Olaf with some good snowball snow. Not good for commuters as Ice could be an issue. The second storm may knock down some lines so load up on the fluffernutters and check generators. Sorry for the late report but confidence was low before this point.
Stay Safe & Warm!
Chief Garofalo
NOAA Report Storm 1:
A light snowfall will impact central and southern parts of the area tonight and tomorrow morning. While snowfall totals will be generally under 3”, the timing is especially problematic for the Monday morning commute. Hazardous travel conditions are expected during that time, especially near and before daybreak.
Parts of far southern NJ, much of DE, and northeast MD may see precipitation begin as snow but end as freezing rain, potentially creating a light glaze of ice on roadways. While ice amounts and areal coverage will be limited, any amount of freezing rain is enough to create hazardous driving conditions.
Conditions should improve late tomorrow morning and afternoon, though lingering light snow or rain showers are possible especially over far southern NJ, DE, and northeastern MD.
A second storm system will impact the region late tomorrow night and Tuesday. Its impacts are discussed in the following slides. Information up to this point covers only the first system tonight and tomorrow morning.
NOAA Report Storm 2:
A significant winter storm will impact the area late Monday afternoon through Tuesday night. A wide variety of precipitation types are expected. Travel impacts are likely especially Monday night and Tuesday morning but lingering through the day Tuesday especially north of I-78. Scattered power outages are possible due to ice accumulation especially in northern NJ and east-central PA.
Most areas will see precipitation begin as snow or sleet, with the possible exception of central and southern Delmarva where precipitation may fall as all rain. A gradual transition from snow to a mix of sleet and freezing rain, then rain, will occur Monday night through Tuesday. The highest snowfall totals will occur in areas where precipitation stays snow the longest: northern NJ and east-central PA. The wide range of precipitation types means confidence in snowfall totals is lower than normal. However, regardless of whether precipitation falls more as snow or as sleet/freezing rain, hazardous travel conditions are likely.
Heavy rainfall will also occur with this system from Monday night through Tuesday night, potentially leading to urban and small stream flooding.
