Forecasters say these squalls may be most disruptive across inland areas of the Northeast on Thursday, Dec. 4, with brief whiteouts possible and travel slowing on major highways. 

By Joe Lombardi From Daily Voice

A surge of colder air is lining up across the Northeast, setting the stage for bursts of snow and fast-changing road conditions as winter tightens its grip.

Forecasters say the atmosphere is primed for quick hits of intense weather as another round of Arctic chill presses south.

AccuWeather reports that a displaced polar vortex near Hudson Bay in east-central/northeastern Canada will send repeated waves of cold air into the region through mid-December. 

A displaced polar vortex near Hudson Bay in east-central/northeastern Canada will send repeated waves of cold air into the Northeast through mid-December. 

A displaced polar vortex near Hudson Bay in east-central/northeastern Canada will send repeated waves of cold air into the Northeast through mid-December. 

AccuWeather

The first signs are already visible after an early week storm delivered widespread snowfall from Monday, Dec. 1 into Tuesday, Dec. 2. Totals from that system included:

  • 7.6 inches near Albany, New York
  • 10.0 inches in Liberty, New York
  • 10.6 inches in Manchester Center, New York
  • 11.0 inches near Porter, Maine
  • 9.3 inches near Meredith, New Hampshire
  • 3.1 inches in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

AccuWeather Meteorologist Alex Duffus said the next round of weather will unfold quickly: “The blast of Arctic air will bring snow showers and snow squalls to parts of the Great Lakes and Northeast. 

"Roads can be coated in snow, and visibility can be drastically reduced in a matter of seconds, creating slippery and dangerous driving conditions. Sidewalks and parking lots could be very slick.”

Forecasters say these squalls may be most disruptive across inland areas of the Northeast on Thursday, Dec. 4, with brief whiteouts possible and travel slowing on major highways. 

Wind chills may run 10 to 25 degrees below actual air temperatures, boosting energy demands and raising the risk of hard freezes across portions of the interior Mid-Atlantic.

A separate system late in the week could add more complications. How incoming Arctic air interacts with a developing southern storm will determine whether areas from Virginia into North Carolina see snow, sleet and freezing rain from Thursday night, to Friday night, Dec. 5, or a colder rain instead.

The National Weather Service says high pressure will build over the Northeast on Wednesday, Dec. 3, bringing sunshine and temperatures in the upper 30s to lower 40s before the next round of cold arrives.

Check back to Daily Voice for updates.