Arctic blast in the Midwest pushes east, snow for Boston and NYC on Thursday

Arctic Airmass takes hold over the Upper Midwest

A bitterly cold airmass is sending 2013 out with a bang in the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes Region, where temperatures across nearly all of Minnesota and a good portion of Wisconsin have failed to top 0F today.  An Alberta Clipper is also producing a band of snow across southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois, including the Chicago area, and southwestern Michigan.  Snowfall amounts of 3-6" are generally expected, but lake-effect favored areas could do better.  The moderate snowfall along with the very cold temperatures could make travel conditions treacherous.

Check out some of the low/high temperature forecasts by the NWS for some of the upper Midwest cities for New Years Day:

Minneapolis:                    -14 / 0
Madison, WI:                      1 / 11
Marquette, MI:                   -5 / 6
Duluth, MN:                    -17 / 1
Fargo, ND:                      -17 / -7
Grand Forks, ND:           -22 / -9
International Falls, MN:  -35 / -9


Nor'easter takes aim at New England on Thursday; Uncertainty still exists

A post New Years Day storm system will develop along the Atlantic Coast on Thursday, bringing a significant snowfall to much of New England and possibly New York City as well.  Cold air from the aforementioned arctic blast will arrive with this storm, so precipitation type is not going to be a question for these areas.  The latest models are indicating up to a foot or more of snow around Boston, with 4-8" for New York City.  There is still a degree of uncertainty, however, as the models have struggled with a solution on the exact storm track.  Farther inland, snow totals won't be as high as near the coast, but should still be good enough for skiers to get excited about.

Farther south, models have struggled even more on a solution for the Washington, D.C. area, but at this point, the chances of a noteworthy snowfall are low, with token snow showers more likely to occur as the brunt of the system misses the area to the north.  It appears the DC snow drought will continue for the time being.

Following the Thursday system, bitterly cold air is set to arrive along the East Coast, with highs on Friday not expected to get out of the teens in Boston and New York City.  As far south as Atlanta, highs will only reach the 30's on Friday.  In addition, from Thursday evening into Friday morning, upslope snow showers will develop along the higher elevations from West Virginia to North Carolina, where favored areas could receive up to several inches of snow.

The cold snap won't last for long, as milder air reaches the eastern states by the end of the weekend, but models are already hinting at the possibility of a major cold snap in the eastern U.S. next week.  Still too far out to get excited about, but something to keep an eye on as we move forward.


Snow for parts of the Rockies; Favorable northwest flow for Colorado

While the West Coast and associated mountain ranges remain bone dry, a disturbance is moving through the Rockies this afternoon, and will bring a good shot of snow today and tonight for Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado behind a northwest flow.  This pattern favors Bridger Bowl Ski Area in Montana, just north of Bozeman, where over a foot of new snow is possible by New Years morning.  Jackson Hole is also getting snow this afternoon and is under a Winter Weather Advisory, while the action turns to northern Colorado overnight.  Steamboat, Winter Park, and Vail are likely to pick up the best snow of any ski areas in this type of pattern, and the first day of 2014 is likely to be a powder day for these places.

Happy New Year everyone!  Cheers to a great 2014!