Brutal Cold, Snow to Hit Northeast This Weekend

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A winter storm is set to bring the coldest air of the season so far to parts of the Northeast this weekend, with accumulating snow, strong winds, and dangerously low wind chills expected. The storm will impact areas from Michigan and Ohio through New England, with the highest snow totals and lowest wind chills expected in upstate New York and northern New England.

Why it matters

This extreme cold blast could pose serious risks to public safety, with the potential for power outages, dangerous travel conditions, and health hazards like frostbite from the bitterly cold wind chills. It's an early preview of the kind of harsh winter weather the Northeast may face in the coming months.

The details

The storm will start on Friday with light snow showers across the Great Lakes region, then intensify on Friday evening with heavier snow across Appalachia and upstate New York. On Saturday, the snow will spread into New England, with the highest totals of 2-4 inches expected along the I-90 corridor from Syracuse to Buffalo. In addition to the snow, strong winds will create brutal wind chills, potentially dropping as low as 35 below zero in places like Lake Placid and Saranac Lake, New York. Even major cities like New York and Boston could see wind chills in the negative teens and single digits.

• On Friday morning, a quick snow shower will move through Michigan, Indiana and Ohio.
• Friday afternoon, snow will fall from eastern Kentucky through western Pennsylvania.
• On Friday evening, scattered snow will be across Appalachia, from the Smoky Mountains to upstate New York.
• On Saturday, snow will fall over New England — mainly for all areas north of New York City.
• This low to moderate impact winter storm will usher in another cold blast along with very windy conditions from Friday night through Sunday morning.

What’s next

Next week, a slow pattern change is expected, with average to even above average temperatures possible for the East by the middle and end of next week.