The National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center said there is a chance of snow or sleet exceeding a quarter-inch of liquid precipitation from South Carolina to Maine between Saturday and Monday. Areas along the coast have the highest chances of another wintry blast, the center said.
Typically, 0.25 inches of liquid precipitation equals several inches of snow.
Forecasters said computer models agree that an “impactful” storm will develop along the East Coast this weekend.
“Despite the notable agreement on the intensifying system, subtle differences in the track off the coast not surprisingly lead to a lot more uncertainty with respect to the potential impacts,” said Michael Schichtel, chief meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center. “For now, the greatest consensus amongst the guidance is for coastal areas and possibly further inland across the Carolinas and southern New England, with more uncertainty through the Mid-Atlantic.”
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Schichtel said the storm could also bring high winds, large waves and coastal flooding along the East Coast.
The eastern half of the U.S. is expected to remain well below normal temperatures for the next 10 days. Record cold has led many schools across the region to stay closed.
“The ongoing settling of cold surface high pressure and additional surges in the wake of the historic winter storm will maintain dangerously cold temperatures for the central and eastern U.S. well into next week,” Schichtel said. “The airmass may be more prolonged in areas with widespread snow or ice coverage and enhanced radiational cooling.”
Meanwhile, well above average temperatures are expected to persist in the western U.S. through the first week of February.
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