Forecasters are warning that in some areas, the gathering snowstorm could unload more snow in one day than every winter storm from last winter combined.
On Monday, the National Weather Service began sounding the alarm about the coming storm. “A Nor’easter will affect the region later this week bringing what will likely be the most impactful winter weather in several years.”
While the heaviest snow is expected to miss the Interstate 95 corridor, it could still be a shock for residents in and around New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. Over a foot of snow is expected to fall over a large portion of northwestern Virginia, across eastern Pennsylvania, and into southern New England, according to the Weather Channel.
Expect snowfall totals to be extraordinary, bordering on the “historic” as winds ramp up in some areas causing near-blizzard conditions for parts of the region late Wednesday into Thursday morning.
The only thing good about this storm, named “Gail” by weather forecasters is that it is a fast-moving storm. This should keep snow totals down, but even still, at its peak, snow will come down at a rate of 1 to 3 inches per hour.
There is the potential for widespread power outages due to the impending nor'easter, which could be an issue for those who are working from home: pic.twitter.com/JY2Z7r85rT
— AccuWeather (@breakingweather) December 15, 2020
“All the ingredients are now coming together for our snowstorm, and I really don’t see a way out of this for many cities across the Northeast,” AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said.
A fresh injection of cold air is already in place ahead of the storm, Rayno explained, adding, “You can already feel it.” When Atlantic moisture gets pulled into the storm off the coast on Wednesday, that’s when the storm will really get going, he added.
