Overview
Let the games begin…it is now snowing in State College and Altoona in upstate Pennsylvania and the look to winter is suddenly upon us in the Mid-Atlantic region. Low pressure today will head towards the Mid-Atlantic coastline and a cold rain in the I-95 corridor may actually end as a mix of sleet or snow tonight to the north and west of the big cities. A powerful cold front will arrive with gusty winds on Thursday night and usher in an Arctic blast for Friday and Saturday with the lowest temperatures of the season so far. An overall upper-atmosphere pattern with “high-latitude blocking” is looking increasingly likely for later this month and that could result in more cold air outbreaks for the Mid-Atlantic region by the time Thanksgiving week rolls around.
Snow/sleet possibility later today/tonight
Low pressure has formed along a stalled out frontal boundary zone over the Tennessee Valley and it is heading towards the Mid-Atlantic coastline. Cold air pushed in overnight from the northwest and it has already become cold enough in upstate Pennsylvania for snow to fall (e.g., State College, Altoona). The rain/snow line should slowly press to the southeast as the day progresses. As the low pressure slides off the coast later today and tonight, it could actually become cold enough just to the north and west of the big cities for some sleet or snow to mix in; especially, in higher elevation locations.
12:20 PM | *Late week Arctic blast may not be the last of the month…”high-latitude blocking” pattern likely to form by Thanksgiving Day*
