Painfully cold weather is headed to the East Coast this weekend as storm systems move through the U.S. Experts warn that even being outside without the proper gear could be dangerous.
According to the National Weather Service, a front extending from the Mid-Atlantic to the Central Gulf Coast is expected to move eastward off most of the Eastern Seaboard over the next few days.
This system is expected to bring rain over parts of the Central Appalachians/Northern Mid-Atlantic and into coastal New England through Thursday morning. It is also expected to bring to moderate snow over the Northeast that will taper off the lake-effect snow and end by Thursday afternoon.
“In the Northeast, New England, the mid-Atlantic and parts of the central Appalachians and eastern Great Lakes region, this will likely be the coldest air of the season so far from late Friday to Sunday,” said AccuWeather senior meteorologist Bob Larson in an online forecast cited by USA Today.
AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tom Kines said that it will be “painful to be outdoors for a significant length of time if not properly dressed from the central Appalachians to the mid-Atlantic coast and New England from Friday to Saturday night,” as “gusty winds in the wake of a strengthening Alberta clipper storm on Thursday,” blow into the area.
“One system will bring a period of rain tonight with some higher elevation snow, then a second system will likely bring light snow accumulations Fri afternoon into Sat followed by dry and cold weather Sunday,” said NWS Boston in a Wednesday X post.
In the area around Philadelphia, Pa., NWS Mount Holly said Wednesday on X that: “A period of rain into the overnight before ending prior to daybreak Thursday,” is expected. It also said colder air will arrive at the end of the week and especially into the weekend.
“Some snow is probable for some areas Friday/Friday night,” said the post.
NWS out of Buffalo, N.Y. posted on X Wednesday that: “Steadier snows will taper off from west to east this evening, with the accumulating snows in the Buffalo metro area just about done. There still could be a few slick spots for the evening commute across the area, especially higher terrain where a couple inches of snow has fallen.”
Nasty weather may be on the menu for now, but USA Today said that forecasters believe the worst of the intense cold should clear up by next week, just in time for the Christmas holiday.